Chelsea Forum (Stamford Bridge)

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Ultimate10002000

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Ok well done Chelsea...extends the lead with a 3-0 victory at home over portsmouth. The good run of this team continues. Man U is currently at 2nd spot with Arsenal having a game on hand so temporary at 3rd spot.
 

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Chelsea Vs Portsmouth FT 3-0
Arjen Robben inspired Chelsea to a 3-0 home victory against Portsmouth well before half-time at Stamford Bridge as the Blues extended their lead at the top of the table to 11 points.

Damien Duff runs past Portsmouth's Patrick Berger (BenRadford/GettyImages)
Having resisted the temptation to go down after being fouled, he crossed for Didier Drogba to score Chelsea's first before hitting the target himself shortly afterwards.

Drogba scored his second goal of the game before half-time, converting a free-kick won by Robben, and the Dutchman was deservedly given a standing ovation when he was substituted late on.

# Clarke warns: We won't ease up

By that stage, Portsmouth were well out of it, with Aiyegbeni Yakubu having wasted their only real chance at 2-0 down.

With next week's FA Cup opponents Southampton having earlier beaten Liverpool, this was hardly a good day for the visiting fans.

Chelsea, however, simply go from strength to strength. While Arsenal could yet reduce the gap back to 10 points by defeating Newcastle on Sunday, it is now almost impossible to see the Blues self-destructing with just 14 games left.

Portsmouth may have made the early inroads, with Matthew Taylor's cross-shot saved by Petr Cech, but Chelsea were untroubled and simply waited for their moment to pounce.

That took just 14 minutes, although they were indebted to some excellent refereeing by Mike Riley, who ignored his assistant's well-intended flag for a foul on Robben as he sped past Gary O'Neil.

The Dutchman, who was accused of diving at Tottenham last weekend, rode the mistimed tackle and cut the ball back invitingly for Drogba to sidefoot home from close range.

Six minutes later, Chelsea already had victory in their grasp as Robben turned goalscorer himself.

Frank Lampard played a skilfully-weighted ball through for the Dutchman to chase onto and, with recalled goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown rather slow off his line, Robben skipped around him via a deflection.

Even though the ball almost reached the byline, the Chelsea winger maintained the poise to clip the ball inside the post from a tight angle.

Given that Chelsea had conceded just eight goals in their previous 23 league games this season, the chances of a Portsmouth comeback were slim, to put it mildly.

Indeed, the visitors squandered their only chance of a route back into the game after Lampard's careless pass left John Terry under pressure from Yakubu.

The Nigeria international, who is linked with a potential move away from Fratton Park, clipped the ball past Terry and bore down on goal, beating Cech but seeing the ball roll inches past the post.

Woe betide any side that fails to take such a golden chance against Chelsea. That was as near as Portsmouth came to making a game of it.

Just two minutes later, Robben was up-ended in full flight on the edge of the penalty area by David Unsworth and Drogba struck a fierce free-kick past Ashdown to make it 3-0. That was game over.

The second half was something of a procession, with Jose Mourinho removing Drogba, Damien Duff and Robben from the fray, but showing his strength in depth as Eidur Gudjohnsen, Mateja Kezman and Tiago came on.

O'Neil did strike a 20-yard free-kick that Cech tipped over the bar, but it was Chelsea who came closer to extending their lead.

Joe Cole shot straight at Ashdown as he stretched to reach Duff's cross, while Kezman shot just past the far post and Lampard also threatened.

Chelsea won at a canter and that should be as worrying for Arsenal and Manchester United as it was for Portsmouth.
 

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Clarke warns: We won't ease up

Chelsea assistant boss Steve Clarke insisted he could not see any imminent dangers to his side's title chances after going 11 points clear today.

The Blues were inspired by Arjen Robben as they ran out 3-0 winners over Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge.

And Clarke warned Arsenal and Manchester United they would not get complacent as they moved closer to their first title in 50 years.

Clarke said: 'It doesn't seem to be strange to be in this position. It seems to be what we deserve for the hard work we've put in this season.

'Obviously, after a game like that, you think we didn't look like losing that match but there will be difficult matches along the way. We're under no illusions.

'It's hard to see a danger at the moment. But we won't become complacent, we look to win every match. We need to win 11 matches now.'

Chelsea, who have now won seven consecutive league games without conceding, were 2-0 up after just 21 minutes at Stamford Bridge, with Robben setting up Didier Drogba before scoring himself.

Robben also won the free-kick from which Drogba struck his second goal before half-time and the Dutch winger was the star performer.

Clarke added: 'You've seen a young man with an exceptional talent. He's got the ability to beat defenders at pace with the ball under control, which is a gift.

'He scores goals and makes goals, and his first-half performance was electric. He's very difficult to stop.

'You get quick players and those who are good on the ball. He's quick while he's on the ball and can play on either flank.'

While Chelsea now face two cup ties, their next eight league opponents are Blackburn, Manchester City, Everton, West Brom, Norwich, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Birmingham.

'We've said it for a long time now, and it might be boring, but we just have to concentrate on what we do in every game,' stressed Clarke.

'If we pick up three points every week, we will keep on getting closer and closer. There will be nothing the opposition can do.'

Portsmouth offered little resistance, with assistant boss Joe Jordan admitting that speculation over the futures of Yakubu and Amdy Faye was unsettling.

Both players have been linked with a potential move to Newcastle and chairman Milan Mandaric is set to address the issue before the FA Cup tie at Southampton next weekend.

Jordan revealed: 'You don't want the squad to be reduced. The chairman has said that he would have a chat with the players next week.

'Unfortunately, there has been a lot of speculation around the club about players leaving, which is not good and can be unsettling.

'So the chairman will next week clarify where we stand for the benefit of the players.'

Yakubu wasted his side's only clear chance at 2-0 down, although the visitors were not helped by the withdrawal of captain Arjan de Zeeuw shortly before kick-off due to illness.

'He came down this morning and felt sick. He wanted to play but got off the bus and had to be sick again, so we had to make a change. That's not taking anything away from Chelsea though,' concluded Jordan.
 

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Prem wrap: Chelsea 11 points clear
Chelsea did the damage in the first half as a 3-0 win over Portsmouth stretched their lead to 11 points at the top of the Barclays Premiership.

Two goals from Didier Drogba and one for Arjen Robben left Pompey with no capital gains, and turned the heat up on title rivals Manchester United and Arsenal.

Jose Mourinho's side have now conceded just eight goals in their opening 24 league games, and they require 11 wins from their remaining 14 matches to clinch the club's first league title since 1955.

Drogba repaid another slice of his hefty transfer fee by firing Chelsea ahead in the 15th minute, the Ivory Coast striker turning in a Robben cross from close range.

Robben stretched their lead to 2-0 after 21 minutes when he latched on to a Frank Lampard pass and coolly sidestepped goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown before slotting home.

With Lomana LuaLua and Amdy Faye suspended, Portsmouth began well before fading fast, although Aiyegbeni Yakubu ought to have grabbed one back, only to miss from close range.

It became 3-0 after 39 minutes when Drogba struck again, this time from long range with a terrific free-kick.

Manchester United had to fend off a determined Aston Villa at Old Trafford before eventually running out comfortable 3-1 winners, a result which lifted them above Arsenal who face Newcastle at Highbury tomorrow.

The in-form Cristiano Ronaldo fired home after eight minutes, his second goal in four days after calming nerves with the opener in the FA Cup win at Exeter.

Louis Saha took Roy Keane's pass from midfield, beat two Villa defenders, and then slipped a superb ball inside Olof Mellberg to Ronaldo, who beat Thomas Sorensen with a low finish from 15 yards.

But Gareth Barry levelled up for Villa after 53 minutes after a neat move involving Nolberto Solano.

Then came United's revival, with Saha restoring their lead after 69 minutes and Paul Scholes heading a third a minute later after Ronaldo's shot had been only parried by Sorensen.

Southampton's prospects of survival grew after their 2-0 victory over Liverpool in the lunchtime kick-off, with Harry Redknapp finally able to celebrate his first league win since taking charge.

Liverpool's defence was exposed as David Prutton and Peter Crouch struck to decisive effect in the opening 22 minutes at St Mary's.

Prutton profited from a mistake by newcomer Mauricio Pellegrino to put Saints in front after just five minutes.

Terrible marking allowed Crouch to add a second, his third in consecutive games, with a sharp header from Prutton's cross.

For Liverpool, who had Steven Gerrard unusually muted in midfield and Fernando Morientes scarcely involved in attack, it was a third defeat in eight days, after painful losses to Manchester United and FA Cup opponents Burnley.

Saints remained in the bottom three, but Crystal Palace headed them on goal difference alone, with the possibility remaining that the two sides might switch places by full-time.

Everton, with James Beattie making his home debut, were beaten 1-0 by Charlton at Goodison, with Matt Holland firing the Addicks ahead from long range just before the break.

Beattie hit the post in the second half, and that was as close as the Toffees came.

Birmingham thrust new loan signing Salif Diao straight into action at St Andrews, but they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Fulham, whose improvement continued.

Moritz Volz's messy own goal after 51 minutes gave Birmingham the lead, but Andy Cole's penalty put the Cottagers level and Papa Bouba Diop headed his second matchwinner in a week to give the visitors a valuable victory, repeating the trick after doing similar damage to West Brom.

Crystal Palace upped the tempo in the second half and crushed Martin Jol's Tottenham 3-0 at Selhurst Park.

Eagles went in front after 66 minutes when Mikele Leigertwood turned a left-wing cross from Tom Soares past Paul Robinson.

Danny Granville then added a second for Palace after 70 minutes and an Andy Johnson penalty seven minutes later, after he had been brought down, put the finishing touches to the welcome win.

Struggling Norwich looked dead and buried against Middlesbrough going into the closing stages, but they clawed back three goals to secure a 4-4 draw.

Damien Francis gave the Canaries an 18th-minute lead, only for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to bring Middlesbrough back onto level terms soon after the half-hour mark.

Boro were revitalised for the second half and a quickfire double from Franck Queudrue, who headed home a Stewart Downing corner after 49 minutes and then tapped home his second six minutes later, looked to have put the game beyond Norwich.

Hasselbaink's second of the game, a curling free-kick after 78 minutes, made it miserable for Norwich, but they had some cause for cheer two minutes later when £3million man Dean Ashton scored his first goal since joining from Crewe.

A Leon McKenzie header in the 90th minute made for a tense finish, and incredibly Norwich then pinched an equaliser in injury-time through Adam Drury - the sort of finish which could change their season.

Their delight may, however, be tempered by news of the wins for Palace and Southampton.
 

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No Reds regrets - Robben

Chelsea winger Arjen Robben insists he has no regrets about not joining Manchester United as he prepares to tackle the Reds in the Carling Cup.

With every decisive impact that Robben makes in the title race, Sir Alex Ferguson must regret the moment that United failed to meet the winger's asking price.

Indeed, Ferguson can only hope that in Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final second leg, Robben is not given the chance to show the Old Trafford fans what they missed out on.

After inspiring Chelsea against Portsmouth, Robben again proved that the £12m which Chelsea agreed to pay PSV Eindhoven is looking one of the bargains of the past season.

The Dutchman, who turns 21 on Sunday, observed: "I don't know what I can expect at Old Trafford.

"All I can say is I made the decision to go to Chelsea and I don't have any bad feelings about Manchester United.

"It's a great club. I went to Manchester to look at them but they didn't come to a deal and that's it. Chelsea then got in contact and gave me a great feeling. The decision was easy.

"But I think it can go wrong if you want to show someone what they're missing. I play for Chelsea and that's it, I want to win with Chelsea."

Jose Mourinho's side have seven consecutive league victories now behind them without conceding a goal after Robben scored one and helped set up the other two for Didier Drogba against Portsmouth.

"To other people, it seems like we're unbeatable but that's just the great attitude we play with and we keep on winning," he added.

"I wouldn't say we actually feel unbeatable - nobody is unbeatable - but at the moment we are playing with a lot of confidence and we're not afraid to lose."
 

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Mourinho denies Beckam blast

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has denied criticising England captain David Beckham and has spoken of his "respect" for the Real Madrid star.

Mourinho has been linked with a renewed move for the Real Madrid star in the light of a possible kit deal with adidas but it is now believed that Beckham does not figure in the club's transfer plans for next season.

The Chelsea chief has been critical of Madrid's policy of buying up big names but insisted such comments did not refer to Beckham and insisted he remained a big admirer of the former Manchester United player.

Mourinho said: "David Beckham is someone I respect as a man and as a player. He is the captain of England and has been a European champion.

"I have never been critical of him and reports that imply that are totally incorrect as I have never made any comments directly about him."
 

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Robben slams diving claims

Chelsea winger Arjen Robben has hit back at claims he is diver ahead of Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final tie at Old Trafford.

Robben was accused of going to ground too easily by Tottenham defender Noe Pamarot following penalty claims during last weekend's derby at White Hart Lane.

However, the Dutchman insisted: "All I can say is that if you saw the two moments, they were two penalties and that's it - no diving."

It was certainly not the first time that Robben had been accused of diving but he argued, with some justification, that he had proved his point in Saturday's 3-0 win at home to Portsmouth.

Despite being fouled by Gary O'Neil in the build-up to Chelsea's opening goal, the winger kept going and reached the byline before crossing for Didier Drogba to side-foot home on 14 minutes.

He could then have gone down under keeper Jamie Ashdown's challenge six minutes later but again kept his feet before clipping the ball inside the post from a tight angle.

And there was little question that he was brought down in full flight to win the free-kick from which Drogba made it 3-0 before half-time.

Robben was later taken off with 15 minutes left to save him for Wednesday's semi-final second leg against Manchester United.

The Dutchman missed the first leg through suspension and, ironically enough, could have been plying his trade at Old Trafford this season if United had met PSV Eindhoven's £12m asking price.

"I don't know what I can expect at Old Trafford," he admitted.

"All I can say is that I made my decision to go to Chelsea and I don't have any bad feelings about Manchester United. It's a great club and we'll see.

"I don't want to speak much about it. I went to Manchester to look at them but they didn't come to a deal and that's it. Afterwards, Chelsea got in contact and they gave me a great feeling. The decision was easy.

"I think it can go wrong if you want to show someone what they're missing. I play for Chelsea and that's it. I want to win with Chelsea."
 

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Chelsea will definitely win the EPL this season, in my opinion. unless Chelsea really screw up big time in the second half of the season, Arsenal and Man Utd can just compete for the second spot.
 

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Preview: Mourinho ready for OT return


LONDON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - The last time Jose Mourinho visited Old Trafford he ended up tearing down the touchline like a demented teenager after his Porto side knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League with a late goal.
On Wednesday the Portuguese manager returns to the scene of that triumph last March with his seemingly unstoppable Chelsea side for the second leg of a League Cup semi-final that is delicately poised after the goalless first leg.


Unlike his team Mourinho will be bearing gifts. He and Alex Ferguson shared a bottle of distinctly average wine after the 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago and Mourinho has promised his United rival a 'beautiful bottle of Portuguese wine' for the return.

This apparent cordiality appears to be in marked contrast to Ferguson's bitter relationship with Arsenal rival Arsene Wenger.

The impression is misleading. Both Ferguson and Mourinho share a pragmatic obsession with winning above all else and Ferguson has not forgotten that the Portuguese accused him of trying to influence the referee in the first leg.

Nonetheless Chelsea's coach hopes to be celebrating more than just his 42nd birthday, which falls on Wednesday, at the post-match drinks and he has plenty of reasons to justify his optimism.

Ten points clear at the top of the Premier League, Chelsea are homing in on their first championship for 50 years.

The basis of their success this season is a defence marshalled by John Terry that has conceded only 10 goals in 29 domestic matches this season.

Over the past five weeks the collective strikers of Norwich, Aston Villa, Portsmouth (twice), Liverpool, Middlesbrough, United and Tottenham have all drawn a blank against Chelsea's rearguard. In fact the only goal they have conceded in their last nine games was against fourth division Scunthorpe.

Chelsea will almost certainly look to absorb United's in-form attack on Wednesday before releasing their electric Dutchman Arjen Robben on the counter.

'He's a young man with an exceptional talent,' said Chelsea assistant manager Steve Clarke. 'He has the ability to beat defenders at pace with the ball under control. It's a great gift.

'He scores goals, makes goals. He's very difficult to stop.'

Liverpool or Watford await the winners at the Millennium Stadium on February 27. If Chelsea make it they will be looking for their third League Cup triumph after 1965 and 1998.

Ferguson has never lost a domestic semi-final in his 18 years at the club but United's record in the League Cup final is relatively poor. They have won it only once, in 1992, and lost in the final four times, most recently to Liverpool in 2003.

Ferguson is still deprived of unfit Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy but has his own version of Robben in Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Scot reckoned his team were showing 'championship form' after Saturday's 3-1 win over Villa, their 10th win in a run of 13 games unbeaten.

Like Chelsea their defence is miserly. They too have conceded only one goal in their last nine games.

Ferguson, who may recall Alan Smith up front alongside Wayne Rooney, cannot wait for a game that kick-starts an exciting month for his club.

'The games coming up are fantastic games for us,' he said. 'We've got a semi-final of the League Cup against Chelsea, an FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough and a forthcoming European tie with AC Milan.'
 

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Stars will take centre stage - Fergie


Sir Alex Ferguson expects the stars on show in tomorrow's heavyweight Carling Cup tie between Manchester United and Chelsea to completely overshadow his personal duel with Jose Mourinho.
The Chelsea boss heads to Old Trafford for the first time since his Porto side dumped United out of the Champions League last March - and just a fortnight after his criticism of Ferguson for his attempt to influence referee Neale Barry in the first leg of this semi-final.


Ferguson insists he holds Mourinho in high esteem, claiming he can see some of his old self in the supremely confident Portuguese.

But the long-serving United manager is confident his own head-to-head with the man who has won two European trophies in as many years and guided Chelsea to the brink of their first title since 1955 will not deflect from a mouth-watering clash which will leave the victors as the sole English club capable of completing an unprecedented trophy four-timer this season.

'Jose Mourinho has done fantastically well at Chelsea,' said Ferguson.

'They have a system; they are very organised - and once they get a goal they are very good at protecting it.

'But this game is not about Jose Mourinho or Alex Ferguson. This game is about 22 great players.

'Both sides have match-winners, and working out which player will win the match is far more interesting that any talk about managers.'

One of those players will be Arjen Robben, the youngster Ferguson thought he had signed up only for Chelsea to swoop in and snatch the 21-year-old from his grasp.

Robben has already established himself as one of the Premier League's stellar talents - but having missed the league encounter between the sides through injury and the first Carling Cup meeting because of suspension, it will be the first time the former PSV Eindhoven man faces the team he snubbed.

'I am not surprised how Arjen Robben has adapted to the English game,' was Ferguson's assessment of the flying Dutchman.

'We knew all about him.'

In assessing the merits of the two sides, who remain deadlocked after the first 90 minutes of a tie which no-one would be surprised to see decided by extra-time and penalties, Ferguson managed to down-grade United's other London rivals Arsenal.

The Gunners, who tackle United in the Barclays Premiership at Highbury next week, jumped above the Red Devils into second spot with their win over Newcastle on Sunday. But for Ferguson, England's top two will be on show at Old Trafford tomorrow.

'It's the best two sides in the country; it's sudden death. The atmosphere should be wonderful, and it should be a fantastic game. Our record in semi-finals is terrific, and I hope we can maintain that.'

If anything Ferguson has under-played his past achievements in domestic semi-finals.

In 19 individual matches, the United boss has never finished on the losing side - a run which continued on the King's Road two weeks ago.

The Red Devils also head into tomorrow's game knowing they have not lost a home game in this cup competition since York recorded their staggering 3-0 win almost a decade ago - and they have not tasted defeat to Chelsea in knock-out combat since 1950.

Ferguson, however, is not placing too much faith in the statistics.

The Scot has seen enough of Mourinho's side this season to know they are just as lethal on their travels as they are on home soil - and he acknowledges the draw his team fought so hard for at Stamford Bridge does not equate to any kind of edge.

'You would normally think a 0-0 draw away from home would give you an advantage, but Chelsea's form away from home this season has been so good I don't think it matters,' he said.

'They have been to Liverpool and won and been to Arsenal and drawn. They are the kind of results you would want in major games like those.'

Ferguson is still debating his starting line-up, but Alan Smith is set to return after recovering from the minor ankle injury which kept him out of the last three games - while captain Roy Keane, suspended for Saturday's FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough, should also play.

'It is tempting to play a strong side,' admitted Ferguson, who until the first Chelsea encounter limited his selection in this competition to fringe players and youngsters.

'We need to spread the load with so many big games ahead - but we are giving it serious consideration.'

Although the word from the United camp is that victory is essential to halt Chelsea's title drive, Ferguson is not quite as convinced of the effect defeat would have on Mourinho and his team.

'It would take a lot of damage to allow us to claw back 11 points,' he said.

'That is a big lead at this time of year.'
 

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Mourinho tops Ferguson again
PA
For the second time in nine months, Jose Mourinho sauntered into the Theatre of Dreams and created a nightmare for Manchester United.

Duff's free-kick bounces into the roof of the net (LaurenceGriffiths/GettyImages)
Sir Alex Ferguson still shudders at the memory of Porto's shock Champions League victory at his side's expense last season.

Now Mourinho has moved much closer to home and proceeded to wreck Ferguson's impeccable domestic semi-final record tonight as Damien Duff's late winner booked Chelsea a Carling Cup final date with Liverpool and kept them on target for an unlikely quadruple.

It was unfortunate for United goalkeeper Tim Howard that an absorbing contest which looked destined for extra-time should eventually be settled by his mistake.

A string of excellent Howard saves were largely responsible for the hosts still being in the contest when Duff drifted a touchline free-kick deep into a packed Red Devils' penalty area.

Howard failed to come and with the defence in front of him remaining static, the ball simply bounced in off the far post.

For Ryan Giggs at least it was a bitter blow as the Welshman had ignited the hosts with a sublime first-time finish midway through the second half that levelled Frank Lampard's opener.

Giggs will rarely score a better goal than the one he lofted over Petr Cech after he had run on to Gary Neville's return ball.

But while United might claim to be hard done by, it was Chelsea who produced the most incisive play and if any side deserved to win such a hard-fought contest, it was them.

While Ferguson could plausibly claim defeat for the visitors would have no discernible effect on their seemingly unstoppable march to the title, the Scot knew anything other than victory for his own side would render their chances of overhauling Chelsea's 11-point lead virtually impossible.

At the same time, it would also end the Red Devils hopes of lifting one of the three pieces of silverware they still have a realistic chance of winning - which is why Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville were given a rare League Cup appearance.

Of the players available, only Wayne Rooney was omitted from what constituted United's strongest side, although even the strength of that team selection was trumped by Mourinho, whose team was the best he could choose.

Lampard gave the hosts a warning of what was to come early on when he spurned a virtual mirror image of the goal which eventually gave Chelsea the lead.

Duff was the provider on that first occasion, slipping a pass back to the England midfielder - who failed to realise how much time he had and scuffed a poor shot wide.

As actual chances went, it was the last clear cut one either side had until Lampard found the net just before the half-hour mark.

In between though, both sides attacked with zest, kept at bay by the best two defences in the top flight.

Frank Lampard celebrates his opener (LaurenceGriffiths/GettyImages)

Lampard's goal, from Didier Drogba's square pass, put a totally different complexion on the game, forcing United to try and break Chelsea down. If effort alone counted for anything, the hosts would have achieved their aim.

As it was, the best the best they could come up with was a loud, legitimate and unsuccessful penalty shout when Wayne Bridge felled Quinton Fortune.

A similar story began to unfold after half-time as United pushed forward and Chelsea looked more likely to score.

Had it not been for Howard's heroics, the Red Devils would have conceded a killer second long before Giggs' inspirational intervention.

The American keeper may now be a confirmed second choice behind Roy Carroll but his form recently has been excellent, which only made his late, crucial blunder all the more surprising.

Twice he kept United in the hunt, scrambling away a goalbound Lampard effort, before earning top marks for a feet-first stop which denied Robben.

In truth, the keeper shouldn't have been given much of a chance but Tiago opted for an ill-advised stepover when Drogba rolled across an inviting square pass, forcing Robben to shoot when he was far better placed.

Giggs' stunning effort ensured the error, such as it was, was severely punished - but if United thought their equaliser would unsettle their visitors, they were badly mistaken.

Chelsea responded by ignoring the frenzied atmosphere and clinically looking for a second. They got it too, although they benefited massively from Howard's major misjudgement.

Typically, United rallied and it needed a goalline clearance from Wayne Bridge to deny Mikael Silvestre and a brilliant Petr Cech save to deny Cristiano Ronaldo before Mourinho was able to celebrate yet another famous night at Old Trafford.
 

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We've won nothing yet, warns Lampard
Chelsea goalscorer Frank Lampard said the players were trying to keep their feet on the ground despite moving a step closer to their first trophy under Jose Mourinho after beating Manchester United in the Carling Cup semi-final.

Frank Lampard (left) fires home the opener (MikeEgerton/Empics)
The England midfielder and Damien Duff scored either side of Ryan Giggs' equaliser to put the Blues into the Millennium Stadium final against Liverpool on February 27.

It means Chelsea are still in with a chance of winning an unprecedented four major trophies this season but Lampard was reluctant to get too over-excited.

'We haven't won anything yet but we are going the right way about it. Everyone is together and going in the same direction,' he told Sky Sports.

'It will give us a confidence boost and we will go after the others.'

Club and country team-mate John Terry agreed, saying: 'None of us have won anything and hopefully this is our year and we can start with this cup and build on it.

'We are taking each competition as it comes and so we'll concentrate on the FA Cup (against Birmingham) on Sunday but it means an awful lot to the lads - this is the first trophy [to be won] in the season. We are here to win it.'

Chelsea manager Mourinho was happier to look forward to success on four fronts but he too had a word of caution for those expecting a a clean sweep of silverware.

'We can win four, we can lose four, we can win one or two,' he said. 'To win the four is very, very difficult but it is still possible. There is a long way to do it but if you could give the Premiership [title] I would be very happy.'

Mourinho, who celebrated his 42nd birthday today, told Sky Sports: 'If you can finish your day with such an important victory it is the perfect day.

'The plan was just to win the game and be in the final but we knew, with the opponent and the atmosphere, that a semi-final is always difficult and we were ready for anything.'

The former Porto boss claimed the way his side performed would show their Premiership rivals who are waiting for the Stamford Bridge club to slip up that it will not be easy to catch them.

'It was important for us, not because we got into a final, but also the way we played, the mentality, the strength we showed here was a message we sent to the Premiership,' he said.

'It is still difficult, we still have to win 11 matches to be champions but we have left a message here that we are really strong and the boys are magnificent.

'I was ready to lose the game and leave Old Trafford with a smile just to pass a message of confidence. But my team would never lose their confidence or mentality just because of a defeat here.'

Drogba battles with Mikael Silvestre (MikeEgerton/Empics)

Sir Alex Ferguson lost his record of never losing a semi-final but he was more displeased about the defending for Duff's winning goal - an inswinging free-kick from long range.

'You would think it would happen some time but this is the lesser of the tournaments you would want to get knocked out of,' he said. 'We're not happy about the free-kick from 50 yards out - you can't expect to win losing goals like that.

'We played exceptionally well in the second half. It was a great game, you couldn't divide the teams today.

'They are a threat on the counter-attack but we coped with that quite well and I thought we had the far bigger momentum in the second half.

'Their goalkeeper made a fantastic save from Ronaldo and we had one cleared off the line.'

Ryan Giggs believed his side were unlucky to go out, telling MUTV: 'I think we created the best chances in the second half. The tempo we played at, Chelsea couldn't live with us so we're disappointed to go out.'

Giggs' equaliser had sparked United hopes of a place in the final but they were denied by Duff's late winner.

'I thought there was only going to be one winner then (after the equaliser),' he said. 'Even after the second goal we were creating chances.

'We got into plenty of good positions in the final third, maybe the crossing could have been better.

'It was a slow game and I think that suited them. We tried to close them down in the second half, tried to increase out tempo.'

Giggs pointed to mistakes at both Chelsea goals as the cause of United's downfall, saying: 'You can't make mistakes in semi-finals, especially against a quality team like Chelsea.'
 

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Chelsea clinch £100m kit deal
Chelsea have clinched a kit deal with top sportswear firm adidas reportedly worth around £100million.

Details of the new deal are likely to be unveiled in the next 48 hours and the move comes just a week after the Barclays Premiership leaders paid £24.8million to sever their previous sponsorship contract with Umbro.

The new deal with the German company will begin in the summer of 2006 and last for 10 years. The huge contract is a vast improvement on their previous £2million-a-season agreement with Umbro but still some way below the £302.9million, 15-year deal that Peter Kenyon, now Chelsea chief executive, secured when he was at Manchester United.

United's deal with Nike remains the biggest sponsorship agreement in British football but the downside was the sale of all the merchandising rights in return for the massive payment.

Chelsea though have agreed a deal similar to those in existence with Real Madrid, Ajax and Bayern Munich and it is understood they were not interested in selling off their licensing and retailing rights. This stance has prevented them from matching United's deal.

Adidas already backs Newcastle in the Premiership but wanted to be associated with a club that has the capability of winning the title and the Champions League sooner rather than later.

The deal has been signed, according to reports in the London Evening Standard, but the finer points of the sponsorship programme have yet to be ironed out. They are likely to include Chelsea being heavily involved in new adidas products along with other top clubs.
 

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was thinking bout the shirt deal chelsea was negotiating & adidas came up to mind.. n true enough they signed with the same brand tied-up to big names like bayern, real, milan... so guess adidas have strongholds in each of the top european leagues... ;)
 

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We had Chelsea rattled' - Giggs
Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane are convinced Manchester United have every reason to remain positive despite having Sir Alex Ferguson's proud domestic semi-final record wrecked by Chelsea.

Having seen last night's Carling Cup clash built up as the game which could pitch Jose Mourinho's side into the form slide they have yet to suffer on their march towards an unprecedented quadruple, defeat for the hosts at Old Trafford could leave United fans worrying about the hangover effect their own side will suffer.

The League Cup may never have been a particularly lucky competition for the Red Devils and it certainly ranks a miserable fourth on Ferguson's list of priorities.

But given the desire and hunger with which the Red Devils approached their task, an eventual 2-1 home loss to a side that already holds a massive 11 point advantage in the title race does not inspire any belief that it will eventually be clawed back.

Instead of looking on the negative side though, Giggs and Keane prefer to focus on the more pleasing aspects of their night's work.

For the Welshman it was the knowledge that Chelsea found themselves on the rack at times as they struggled to contain United's second-half surge, while his captain is experienced enough to see the signs that indicate an immediate return to winning ways in the FA Cup against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

'When we upped the tempo of our play in the second half, I didn't think Chelsea could live with us,' said Giggs, whose brilliant equaliser looked set to turn the contest United's way.

'We all recognise Chelsea are a quality side but I have not seen them rattled like that before. Once we scored, it looked like there would only be one winner.

'Even when they got the second we had a couple of chances to equalise. We definitely felt we did enough to get something out of the game but I suppose if you make mistakes in a semi-final against a team as good as they are, you will get punished.'

Keane's theme was remarkably similar and though the veteran Irishman will be suspended for the weekend visit of Steve McClaren's men, he has no doubt United will recover.

'We will be fine,' he said. 'We will bounce back from this.

'We feel hard done by because we were the better side after half-time. Although it looked like we were heading for extra-time, the momentum was with us.

'People can be quick to criticise but you have to give credit to Chelsea as well. We don't believe we got the rub of the green but in some senses you make your own luck and they have benefited from us giving them too soft goals.'

Neither man was prepared to blame Tim Howard for Damien Duff's late winner, following the lead of their manager who condemned the failure of his team's defence to clear the free-kick that floated over a sea of bodies before creeping in.

Though condemnation of Howard is harsh given the American produced two outstanding second half saves to keep United in the contest, coming just three weeks after Roy Carroll's blunder against Tottenham, it just highlighted the goalkeeping problems Ferguson has suffered since Peter Schmeichel quit in 1999.

In contrast, Chelsea have two players of immense talent at their disposal, with Mourinho so confident in his number two that Carlo Cudicini has already been installed as his final keeper even though Petr Cech's last-gasp stop to deny Cristiano Ronaldo prevented the game heading into extra-time.

With Arsenal to come next Tuesday, AC Milan limbering up for their forthcoming Champions League visit and no time to bring in a reinforcement, Ferguson must hope Carroll and Howard can cut out the mistakes otherwise his team will end the season empty-handed.

Howard is likely to keep his place for the Middlesbrough encounter but changes appear inevitable with Alan Smith and Wayne Rooney certainties to start following Louis Saha's below-par performance.

'After last night's disappointment another big game on Saturday is exactly what we need,' said Giggs.

'It's not as though we ended the game poorly or didn't play well. The first half could have been better but we can take a lot out of our performance and hopefully we will get back on the winning track against Middlesbrough.'
 

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Alonso bears no Lampard grudge
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso claims he has not given up hope of playing again this season and insists he does not bear any grudge against Chelsea's Frank Lampard for the tackle which broke his ankle.

Lampard was criticised for the New Year's Day challenge which will see the Spaniard miss the Carling Cup final between the two clubs next month.

Reds boss Rafael Benitez fears that his £10million signing will not play again this season but Alonso is not so sure.

He said: 'I have already started work in the gym and am fulfilling certain goals. I am an optimistic person and want to think that I'll return to play this season.

'It is frustrating to miss out on the Champions League games coming up but I hope we get through so that I have a chance of playing in later rounds.'

Alonso told the club's official website that he does not blame Lampard for his predicament. He added: 'Lampard apologised for the tackle and that is a nice gesture, but it has annoyed me to get this injury at the worst possible moment.'
 

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All four one, none for all?
Steve Wilson
First he said it was impossible. Now he has admitted that it can be done; with the caveat that it will be 'very, very difficult'. Jose Mourinho was not the first to mention the possibility, surprisingly for a man of such unwavering conviction in his own talents, but he is starting to believe.

Jose Mourinho with last year's big prize (MatthewAshton/Empics)
Chelsea's inexorable march towards silverware is gathering pace and, whisper it around Old Trafford and Highbury, more and more people are starting to suggest that maybe, just maybe, they can sweep the board when the trophies are handed out, eclipsing Manchester United's treble of 1999 in the process.

The bookies, too, are coming round to the idea; parsimonious odds of just 11/1 being offered by some high street bookmakers on the Carling Cup, Premier League trophy, Champions League and FA Cup all residing in SW6 come May.

'We can win four, we can lose four, we can win one or two,' Mourinho said in the wake of Wednesday's 2-1 Carling Cup semi-final victory at Old Trafford. 'To win the four is very, very difficult but it is still possible. There is a long way to do it but if you could give the Premiership [title] I would be very happy.'

Not everyone, however, is getting quite so carried away. Sir Alex Ferguson, who led United to that famous treble of Champions League, Premiership and FA Cup in 1999, insists Chelsea will not better the achievement.

'There is no chance of a club doing a quadruple,' he said prior to the first leg of what proved to be an engaging encounter between the old money of Manchester and the nouveau rich Londoners.

'A treble is more feasible. But it is still very difficult to think that will be done again. When we did the treble, we had only Henning Berg injured. You need a hell of a good squad and your main players have to be fit all the time.'

And that, perhaps, is the key. Chelsea do have a 'hell of a good squad'. More than that, they have, crucially, a reliable understudy waiting in the wings should any of the starting line-up fall foul of injury or suspension.

Indeed, the distinction between first team and reserves at Stamford Bridge is a very blurred one, clouded by the unprecedented spending power available to the manager thanks to the injection of Roman Abromovich's millions.

Whereas Manchester United's replacements for key men struggle to live up to the standards of those in front of them, as proven by Ferguson's ill-judged team selection for the 0-0 draw against non-league Exeter City in the third round of the FA Cup, and Arsenal's bench is peppered with undoubtedly gifted but still inexperienced teenagers, when Chelsea rest players they never have the look of a side missing first-choice regulars.

And money, or more specifically its unequal distribution in the modern game, is at the root of why such an achievement can even be considered. With wealth concentrated, thanks largely to the effect of the Champions league and television deals (although from a very different source at Stamford Bridge), in the hands of an ever decreasing number of clubs, so the spread of trophy distribution narrows.

Ronaldinho: Standing in Chelsea's way. (DenisDoyle/GettyImages)

In the first 100 years of organised English football there were four league and cup doubles; since the formation of the Premiership there have been five.

And, of course, they have Mourinho, a man whose opinion of his own worth is matched only by his exceptional achievements in his short time as a football manager. A near impregnable lead in the Premiership; a Carling Cup final booked for next month against Liverpool; a fourth round meeting with Birmingham City in the FA Cup; and a mouth watering two-legged tie against Barcelona in the knock-out stages of the Champions League means it's still on.

Soccernet take a leaf out of John Terry's book and 'take each competition as it comes' as we assess their chances of an unprecedented quadruple.

BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP:

As good as won with their only realistic challengers, Manchester United and Arsenal, both admitting that the title is now Chelsea's to lose. A commanding 10 point lead with just 14 games to go means that, even if Arsenal were to win every game from now until the end of the season, Chelsea would need to lose three and draw one. On current form that seems improbable.

The 'blip' that Ferguson insists every team goes through in a season - he said the same about Arsenal last season when they went unbeaten - doesn't look on the cards. Chelsea's only defeat of the season, at Manchester City back in October, was followed by four straight victories and in six of the next nine matches they scored four goals. Arsenal, by contrast, tasted victory just once in the five league games that followed their first defeat in 50 games at the infamous Old Trafford clash of the same month.

They have conceded just eight goals in 24 games, with a goal difference of plus 40, and look set to eclipse the record for goals against set by Liverpool in the 1978/79 season.

Only a catastrophic loss of form can deny them now. The one possible intrigue centres around a four day period in April where they face both Manchester United and Arsenal. Defeats against either or both are possible but would not be enough on their own. With games against Crystal Palace, Norwich, Southampton and West Brom scheduled to take place before that time, however, it is likely that they could afford to drop points in the two heavy weight match ups.

With Manchester United set to visit Highbury on the first of February, a draw would effectively hand Mourinho the crown he purports to value above all others.

Verdict: Champions with games to spare.

CARLING CUP

Unlike some of his Premiership contemporaries, Mourinho has shown every desire to go out and win the devalued League Cup from the outset. Arguably more to do with the Ambramovich-assisted depth of his squad than reverence for the trophy, he has fielded strong sides throughout.

Winning it would get a trophy in the cabinet less than a year into his reign and lift confidence for the late-season push in the more important competitions. Players such as Frank Lampard, John Terry and Wayne Bridge have yet to get their hands on any of the major trophies and the will to win instilled in them by their focused manager mean that they will be straining at the leash to right that in Cardiff next month.

Only a misfiring Liverpool side stand between them and the first silverware of the Mourinho era and, on current form, this should not represent too difficult a challenge. Wins against Norwich and Watford have proved the only rays of sunshine in a stormy 2005, three league defeats and an FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship side Burnley drawing the first mini-crisis in Rafa Benitez's rein.

One of those defeats was against Chelsea and, despite a creditable performance and some questionable refereeing decisions going against them, that completed the season double. Long-term injuries, notably to Djibril Cisse and Xabi Alonso (by the foot of Frank Lampard), have hampered the teams development and January signings have yet to convince.

A lot will depend up the performance of Steven Gerrard but even he would be hard pressed to win a midfield battle with player-of-the-year-elect Lampard and the indomitable Claude Makelele.

A one-off cup game it may be, but you can't imagine Chelsea fluffing their lines on the opening night of the quadruple quest.

Verdict: Chelsea claim the first of many.

Frank Lampard celebrates his opener as Chelsea booked their first final apperance under Mourinho. (LaurenceGriffiths/GettyImages)

FA CUP:

Still in its infancy in terms of Chelsea's involvement, the FA Cup still has a long way to run but considering their strutting, domestic dominance it is no surprise to find them short-priced favourites.

Premiership opposition in the form of Birmingham City provide the next hurdle but with Steve Bruce's team hovering nervously close to the relegation places, it would be a major shock were they to fall at this stage.

However, with five rounds remaining and the capacity for the old competition to throw up a few upsets, and the very real possibility of at least one meeting with one of the big boys at some stage, nothing should be taken for granted.

There is solace to be drawn for those faced with the daunting task of ending Chelsea's FA Cup run in Mourinho's solitary blemish in his managerial career at Porto. In his two seasons at the Estadio do Dragao, his team won all bar one of the competitions they entered. Two league titles, a UEFA Cup and Champions League success were adorned with just one domestic cup. A 2004 Portuguese Cup final defeat to Benfica denied Mourinho the clean sweep as Porto boss and the FA Cup may not prove to be the cake walk that many may predict.

Verdict: Deja vu for Mourinho and another runners-up medal.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:

Four straight victories in which they scored nine and conceded just a solitary goal breezed Chelsea to the top of Goup H and qualification with something to spare. A nil-nil draw with Paris St German and a reversal at Porto were misleading results as nothing was riding on them.

Outstanding performances booked one of the biggest tests they are likely to face: a last 16 match-up with La Liga pace setters Barcelona.

The combined attacking verve of Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, and Deco and the midfield promptings of Hernandez Xavi presents a major threat to Chelsea's participation in the competition and should prove a monumental contest.

Should they overcome this trickiest of hurdles then the prospects look good. They other main contenders for the prize, Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus, have been pitted against Manchester United and Real Madrid respectively. With Arsenal meeting Bayern Munich and holders Porto facing the third Italian representative, Inter Milan, the field is destined to be shorn of a number of the big guns, ensuring safer passage for those that remain. A kind draw could take Chelsea to the final comfortably.

But they have to overcome Barcelona, where Mourinho was assistant to both Bobby Robson and Louis Van Gaal, to take advantage of this. No easy feat.

Mourinho, of course, has been there and done it all before. In guiding Porto to two consecutive European crowns he has gleaned enough savvy and experience not to be overawed by the big occasions.

Verdict: Another European triumph for Mourinho only if they can avoid AC Milan.
 

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Mourinho's Cudicini pledge


Jose Mourinho has promised to recall Carlo Cudicini for Chelsea's Carling Cup final appearance against Liverpool - despite having turned to Petr Cech for their semi-final win at Old Trafford.

Cudicini, who is also set to return for Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at home to Birmingham, had played in each of the club's four previous games in the Carling Cup.

However, first-choice goalkeeper Cech was in goal in the semi-final second leg against Manchester United, making an important late save from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Mourinho declared: "It's a fantastic feeling and I feel sorry for the players that did not participate in the game. The promise I made to Carlo before the game was that he would play in the final.

"For the contribution he has made to the club in the past and in the present I think he deserves to play. We still face tough competition from a great team but we must have a trophy at the end of the season."
 

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Roman gets into the mood


Roman Abramovich was soaked with champagne as Chelsea celebrated making it into their first final since the Russian billionaire's takeover 18 months ago.

Abramovich was greeted with a shower of bubbly after going into the Old Trafford visitors' dressing room to congratulate the players and manager Jose Mourinho following their 2-1 Carling Cup semi-final victory over Manchester United.

Mourinho, who was also celebrating his 42nd birthday, said: "I do not think Roman should go into the dressing rooms again - he did and he had a shower of champagne. Maybe next time he will think twice!

"The feeling is fantastic and everyone will say it is a birthday gift for me, but it is not mine, it is a gift for every player as they dreamed of being in the final, it is a gift for the supporters because for the last few years they have not been in a final.

"It is also a gift for Roman, because he has given a lot to the club and it is the first time he will get a real feeling of being in a final. I prefer to share it with them all."

Frank Lampard opened the scoring, starting and finishing off an incisive passing move, and the match looked to be heading Chelsea's way without a hiccup until Ryan Giggs sparked a vibrant United comeback with a fantastic lobbed volley.

Extra-time was beckoning but with five minutes left United's defence failed to deal with a curling 50-yard free-kick from Damien Duff and it bounced high into Tim Howard's net without another player touching it.

United had good claims for a penalty turned down when the score was 1-0 but Mourinho pinpointed a double save by Howard from Arjen Robben and Lampard as having kept Ferguson's side in the game.

"That was the crucial moment, we could have killed the game off with two chances to score but we did not and Giggs scored that amazing goal," said Mourinho.

"I have not seen a replay of the penalty incident but every time someone falls in this stadium the crowd wants a penalty and maybe the referee knows whether it is or not. We kept going and the players showed great strength and mentality."

The victory, Chelsea's first cup win over United since 1950, keeps the club in the hunt for four trophies but Mourinho had a word of caution for those expecting a clean sweep.

He added: "We can win four, we can lose four, it would be normal to win something. To win the four is very, very difficult but it is still possible. There is a long way to do it but if you could give the Premiership I would be very happy.

"This is just the final though, we have not won the competition and we have to now face another great team in Liverpool."

Mourinho insisted Chelsea's confidence would not have been dented even had they lost.

"The plan was just to win the game and be in the final but we knew, with the opponent and the atmosphere, that a semi-final is always difficult and we were ready for anything," he said.

"It was important for us, not because we got into a final, but also the way we played, the mentality, the strength we showed here was a message we sent to the Premiership.

"It is still difficult, we still have to win 11 matches to be champions but we have left a message here that we are really strong and the boys are magnificent.

"I was ready to lose the game and leave Old Trafford with a smile just to pass a message of confidence. But my team would never lose their confidence or mentality just because of a defeat here."
 
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