Month: December 2014

A much-changed Chelsea side won in the final game of their Champions League group, condemning Sporting to the Europa League. Goals from Cesc Fabregas, Andre Schurrle and John Obi Mikel helped Chelsea to the victory, which lent a helping hand to a Chelsea legend in the process.

The build up to this game was dominated by talk of a player who didn’t even start, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek taking up a place on the bench but the 18-year-old was heavily tipped to make his debut. Several Chelsea stars were left out, but Diego Costa surprisingly started up front.

Filipe Luis was one of those who came into the side, and he made an instant impact. Luis has been limited to Champions League games mainly, so we’ve seen little of him bombing forward. He did that here, and he was brought down in the box by Ricardo Esgaio. Fabregas stepped up to the spot and scored, despite many thinking Costa would be the one to take it with Eden Hazard missing out.

That lead was doubled less than 10 minutes later, when Andre Schurrle blasted home a low shot with his right foot. The German has been struggling with illness of late, which has affected his performances on the pitch. This game was a welcome return to form for him, something he needed if he was to go on and push for a starting spot in the coming weeks.

Sporting hit back in the second half, with defender Jonathan Silva pulling one back just five minutes after the break. It was a well taken goal, chesting it down before putting the ball past Petr Cech, who was getting a rare start in goal. That goal briefly ignited hope for Sporting, who needed a point to guarantee a spot in the last 16.

Sadly for them, that hope was short lived. The Blues reopened their two goal lead just six minutes later, with Mikel the unlikely source. Fabregas once again delivered the ball, this time from a free kick. Gary Cahill flicked the ball on, and there was Mikel at the back post to tap it home from the shortest of distances. On replay, there were questions of offside, but the goal stood to give Mikel his first of the season.

There were a few chances after that, but Mikel’s goal almost ended the contest. Loftus-Cheek made his appearance with just under 10 minutes to go, and despite a few heavy touches he looked talented, going on a run at the Sporting defence before being fouled. While he’s not likely to break in the team any time soon, he looks like a great prospect.

That win meant that Schalke had the chance to go second in the group, and they duly did so with a 1-0 win at Maribor. Roberto Di Matteo has his former club to thank for helping his current side in to the Champions League last 16. After the 5-0 win over them a few weeks ago, Mourinho wouldn’t mind meeting them again later in the competition.

LCN Man of the Match: Cesc Fabregas

Chelsea surrendered their unbeaten record in a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Newcastle on Saturday. Sloppy defending twice allowed Papiss Cisse to score, before Steven Taylor was sent off for the hosts. Didier Drogba pulled one back, but it wasn’t enough to rescue a point for the Blues.

Chelsea came into this game with almost a full strength team, but they were missing Nemanja Matic through suspension. They were looking to end an unwelcome record for Jose Mourinho, as he had never won a game at St James’ Park. The Blues boss also knew his side had lost here on their last two visits, so they had to up their game.

In truth, the Blues did up their game. They had two thirds of the possession, had 26 shots and 10 corners, but they just couldn’t make that apparent dominance count. The first half was an even affair, with both sides creating chances, but Newcastle made the breakthrough in the second half. Gary Cahill couldn’t get to Sammy Ameobi’s cross, and that left Cisse with an easy tap-in to put the hosts in front.

The Blues pushed forward trying to get themselves back into the game, and Eden Hazard saw his shot cannon off the post. Sadly for the Blues, seconds later Newcastle were more clinical at the other end. The Magpies counter-attacked, and the ball fell to Cisse once again who gleefully doubled the lead. He could hardly believe his luck against a usually solid Chelsea back line.

The visitors were handed a way back into the game when Steven Taylor, who was already on a yellow card, fouled Andre Schurrle and received his marching orders. Didier Drogba came off the bench to join Costa up front, and he pulled a goal back for Chelsea. Cesc Fabregas once again made the assist, as his free kick was headed in by the big Ivorian.

They pushed for the equaliser, but missed several chances late on that could have clinched a point. With that, their 21 game unbeaten run was brought to an end, and City were handed a massive opportunity in the title race. It’s important to remember that this is a particularly difficult trip to make, especially without the man that Mourinho considers to be Chelsea’s best player.

After the game, the Blues’ manager criticised the crowd for time wasting towards the end of the game. “Things were happening that the referee cannot control,” said Mourinho. “He cannot punish the ball boy that disappears, the people in the crowd that keep the ball or somebody that throws a second ball on to the pitch.”

“If the six minutes were to be played normally it would be fine, but again in the six minutes more of the same happens,” he added. “One thing is to waste time on the pitch in a proper way – you keep the ball, you go to the corner, you hold the ball, you wait for the free-kick and the goalkeeper is not running to get the ball. But another thing is what happens outside the four lines which is the responsibility not of the referee.”

LCN Man of the Match: Didier Drogba

Chelsea maintained their unbeaten campaign with a comfortable win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. Goals from Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba and Loic Remy helped the Blues to victory, which keeps them six points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The Blues started with 10 of the side that drew at Sunderland, despite the team showing signs of fatigue in the North East. The only change was an enforced one, with Diego Costa missing out through suspension. Didier Drogba was the man picked to replace Costa, and he delivered with a tireless performance that earned him a goal.

The hosts didn’t get off to the best of starts, however, with Spurs having most of the early chances. They grabbed a foothold in the game after about 15 minutes, and the opener followed soon after. Tottenham’s defence was spliced apart after a good move, which saw Hazard and Drogba trade passes before the Belgian powered the ball past Hugo Lloris, the start of an awful night for the French keeper.

The second goal followed just moments later, with Drogba applying the finishing touch this time. Lloris’s goal kick went straight to Hazard and he linked up well with Oscar, as they did all night and have for most of the season, and he fed the ball to the Ivorian. While the Chelsea legend has lost a little pace, he’s still deadly in front of goal and he fired low to double the home side’s lead.

Gary Cahill was hurt in a collision with Jan Vertonghen in the first half, and he had to come off at half time. Kurt Zouma replaced him at centre half, but by that stage the Blues were in total control of the game. They continued to push forward, but midway through the second half they were forced in to another change, with Didier Drogba having to come off for Loic Remy.

It was Remy who scored the final goal of the night, not long after he came off the bench. The Frenchman ran onto the ball in the box, held firm while being fouled by Vertonghen before outmuscling him and working space for a shot. His low effort sailed into the bottom corner, leaving Lloris helpless in goal.

That wrapped up the victory for Chelsea, and in the end it was a relatively comfortable affair. They kept Spurs down to just two shots on goal, and in recent weeks they’ve been impressive in not conceding shots let alone goals. Altogether it was a display with which Jose Mourinho will be delighted, with the Blues doing enough to win the game by half time, which should help fitness levels before their trip to Newcastle this weekend.

The only poor part of the performance was Nemanja Matic’s yellow card, which rules him out of the trip to Newcastle. He now has a one game suspension, and we could see a few more of those creeping up over the hectic Christmas run of games.

LCN Man of the Match: Eden Hazard

Chelsea couldn’t find a way past a stubborn Sunderland defence in a disappointing game at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. The league leaders drew a blank for the first time this season, and they could have lost the game late on as Sunderland had quite a few chances.

Jose Mourinho kept faith with the side which started in the 5-0 win over Schalke in midweek, and they came into this game as huge favourites at a ground at which they’ve won their last nine league visits. Of course, the Black Cats won the last meeting between these sides at Stamford Bridge in April, ending Jose Mourinho’s unbeaten home league record in the process, so the Portuguese boss knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.

Chelsea looked like a side on a mission for revenge in the early stages, as they camped outside the home side’s box and penned their players in. They probed and looked for a way through the resilient defence, but gaps were few and far between. Chelsea’s best chance came from Willian, the Brazilian hitting the post with a low drive from range.

With the Blues unable to find a way through, Sunderland’s confidence grew and they stepped out a little more. They hit the wood work themselves shortly after, when defender Santiago Vergini popped up in the Chelsea box and saw his effort crash off the cross bar.

The second half was a little livelier, but still there were no breakthroughs. The home side continued to look solid after the break, with Connor Wickham’s powerful shot almost catching Thibaut Courtois off guard. Jozy Altidore was sent on by former Blue Gus Poyet, and the American had a good chance to end Chelsea’s unbeaten run late on, as did winger Adam Johnson.

Mourinho sent on Didier Drogba, Loic Remy and Andre Schurrle as the game neared its conclusion in order to try and find a winner, but they created little. It was a point that Sunderland deserved for their hard work, restricting Chelsea to shots from distance like they did at the Bridge last season. The biggest blow of the night was probably a yellow card for Diego Costa, which keeps him out of Wednesday’s game against Spurs. Costa was at his most confrontational, and he could have seen red for an angry lash out at John O’Shea in the first half.

After the game Mourinho praised his opponents, whilst deflecting questions on Costa’s booking. “They defended a lot and they defended well”, he said. “Defending a lot and well is not a crime. It is a strategy and it was successful for them. We were a bit tired towards the end and we left a bit of space. But I’ve got nothing negative to say about my team.”

On Costa’s booking, for an aerial collision with Wes Brown, Mourinho said, “I didn’t see it. But the referee was close and he had a very good performance throughout. If I see the incident on television I might have a better opinion.”

LCN Man of the Match: Branislav Ivanovic