sports reporter(weaster times/guardian)::
The European champions feel diminished these days, their gloss long gone, with too many in their number stripped of confidence. The winless league run extends to seven matches, their worst sequence since February 1995, with even the vague promise generated by successive clean sheets in the new manager's first two matches wrecked by this collapse. The stand-in was always fighting an uphill battle off the pitch but his team are far too brittle on it. Only three visiting players approached their fans on the final whistle to acknowledge the support, the rest shuffling off with the weight of the world on their shoulders. On this evidence, to consider them as title contenders feels like folly.
What made this all the more disturbing was the reality that the game should have been over, in Chelsea's favour, by the interval, when their lead stood at a single goal but might have been swollen by considerably more. Chances had been missed on the counterattack, with Sam Allardyce conceding as much. "They should have finished us off, they were so much better than we were," he said. "But they ended up paying the price."
The introduction of Mohamed Diamé – tired after his midweek exertions at Manchester United – and Matt Taylor that provided the spark, the former driving Ramires into his shell and West Ham forward with a vengeance. The hosts swarmed all over panicked opponents and Chelsea duly fell to pieces.
By the end this felt like a thrashing, with Benítez acknowledging even the suspect nature of Carlton Cole's equaliser – the forward having clambered all over Branislav Ivanovic on the edge of the six-yard box to head in Matt Jarvis's deflected delivery – could not be used as an excuse. Benítez described the award as "unlucky", a comment dripping with sarcasm, but it had been coming.
His side had at least hinted at a response, Juan Mata belting a free-kick on to the inside of a post, but still imploded at the last. Diamé thundered in a shot from the edge of the area that careered beyond Petr Cech four minutes from time to establish the lead, with another substitute, Modibo Maïga, adding a third after Ashley Cole had offered up possession with the visitors over-committed up-field.
Chelsea's limp finish was damning, that of a team who simply could not cope. Cue the unfurling of a banner in the away end that read: "Di Matteo Chelsea legend. Fact. Rafa Chelsea reject". Benítez had been subjected to worse, whether it was chants calling for a "table for two" or the now customary chorus for his predecessor in the 16th minute. His team had still been celebrating their first goal under his stewardship at that point, Mata having benefited from Victor Moses's fine pass beyond Winston Reid and Fernando Torres's neat pullback to steer in the opening goal.
That was Torres's first direct involvement in a Chelsea goal for 11 hours and two minutes, though his wait for personal reward goes on. His best chance came in the dying seconds, a point-blank header planted straight at Jussi Jaaskelainen, even if, by then, the contest had veered away. Within moments the final whistle prompted gleeful pandemonium among the home side's support.
This first victory over Chelsea in nine years meant everything and was achieved in the absence of Andy Carroll, who will be sidelined into the new year with a damaged lateral ligament in his knee, news that made Carlton Cole's performance all the more timely. The forward had laid off the ball for Diamé's goal as well as wrestling above Ivanovic to nod in his equaliser.
"It's difficult to explain the turnaround today. We could have finished the game in the first half, but it was totally different after that. They were on top of us and we couldn't manage: we gave the ball away easily, weren't comfortable in possession, they were in control, not winning the first or second balls ... we have to improve, and the players are desperate to improve. I'm here because I want to be here. This is a top side who can compete for trophies but we need to work to get back towards that."
Their crisis merely deepens by the game.
Chelsea's retreat into the chasing pack continues apace. Rafael Benítez's side surrendered a grip on this derby and contrived to end up overwhelmed, overrun and utterly embarrassed, with all the disillusion that has festered over recent weeks erupting again in a show of open revolt in the stands. All four sides of the arena united in a chorus of "You're getting sacked in the morning" spat at the Spaniard, though that represented one of the kinder chants aimed his way by the disgruntled visiting support. At present, it is hard to see this marriage of convenience working out and Benítez admitted as much.
Asked if he could be certain he would be granted that opportunity to ride out the early storm, Benítez said: "No, I am not 100% certain. But we didn't win and if we had won the game we would be happy now. We have to win games to change things. My concern is improving the team and if we do that and start winning games, we'll be able to turn things around. The main thing for me is to improve the team. I'm not thinking about anything else. And if we improve on the pitch, the fans will be happy."The European champions feel diminished these days, their gloss long gone, with too many in their number stripped of confidence. The winless league run extends to seven matches, their worst sequence since February 1995, with even the vague promise generated by successive clean sheets in the new manager's first two matches wrecked by this collapse. The stand-in was always fighting an uphill battle off the pitch but his team are far too brittle on it. Only three visiting players approached their fans on the final whistle to acknowledge the support, the rest shuffling off with the weight of the world on their shoulders. On this evidence, to consider them as title contenders feels like folly.
What made this all the more disturbing was the reality that the game should have been over, in Chelsea's favour, by the interval, when their lead stood at a single goal but might have been swollen by considerably more. Chances had been missed on the counterattack, with Sam Allardyce conceding as much. "They should have finished us off, they were so much better than we were," he said. "But they ended up paying the price."
The introduction of Mohamed Diamé – tired after his midweek exertions at Manchester United – and Matt Taylor that provided the spark, the former driving Ramires into his shell and West Ham forward with a vengeance. The hosts swarmed all over panicked opponents and Chelsea duly fell to pieces.
By the end this felt like a thrashing, with Benítez acknowledging even the suspect nature of Carlton Cole's equaliser – the forward having clambered all over Branislav Ivanovic on the edge of the six-yard box to head in Matt Jarvis's deflected delivery – could not be used as an excuse. Benítez described the award as "unlucky", a comment dripping with sarcasm, but it had been coming.
His side had at least hinted at a response, Juan Mata belting a free-kick on to the inside of a post, but still imploded at the last. Diamé thundered in a shot from the edge of the area that careered beyond Petr Cech four minutes from time to establish the lead, with another substitute, Modibo Maïga, adding a third after Ashley Cole had offered up possession with the visitors over-committed up-field.
Chelsea's limp finish was damning, that of a team who simply could not cope. Cue the unfurling of a banner in the away end that read: "Di Matteo Chelsea legend. Fact. Rafa Chelsea reject". Benítez had been subjected to worse, whether it was chants calling for a "table for two" or the now customary chorus for his predecessor in the 16th minute. His team had still been celebrating their first goal under his stewardship at that point, Mata having benefited from Victor Moses's fine pass beyond Winston Reid and Fernando Torres's neat pullback to steer in the opening goal.
That was Torres's first direct involvement in a Chelsea goal for 11 hours and two minutes, though his wait for personal reward goes on. His best chance came in the dying seconds, a point-blank header planted straight at Jussi Jaaskelainen, even if, by then, the contest had veered away. Within moments the final whistle prompted gleeful pandemonium among the home side's support.
This first victory over Chelsea in nine years meant everything and was achieved in the absence of Andy Carroll, who will be sidelined into the new year with a damaged lateral ligament in his knee, news that made Carlton Cole's performance all the more timely. The forward had laid off the ball for Diamé's goal as well as wrestling above Ivanovic to nod in his equaliser.
"The news on Andy is sweetened by that performance," said Allardyce. "And Maïga scoring, too, because we'll need him now more than ever to adjust to the Premier League. We've contacted Liverpool on Andy, and they have had all the information and sent down a medical representative to look at him. He's visited a specialist and will stay with us."
Carroll's absence could stretch to eight weeks, in which time much might change at both of these clubs. Certainly, everything at Chelsea feels horribly temporary. The week ahead is likely to see their Champions League defence peter out, even if they manage to defeat Nordsjaelland at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. Asked if the challenge he had taken on after two years out of the game was proving more difficult than he had imagined, Benítez said: "It could be, yes. This is a top side in the middle of the season but things aren't the best. We'll try and improve things but it will take time."It's difficult to explain the turnaround today. We could have finished the game in the first half, but it was totally different after that. They were on top of us and we couldn't manage: we gave the ball away easily, weren't comfortable in possession, they were in control, not winning the first or second balls ... we have to improve, and the players are desperate to improve. I'm here because I want to be here. This is a top side who can compete for trophies but we need to work to get back towards that."
Their crisis merely deepens by the game.
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