phrase
Tactician
- 12 December 2002
This is a good read found at Football365.com
Chelski's Winter Of Discontent
Accident or no accident - and contrary to Jose Mourinho's rants and the opinions of a few misguided newspaper columnists, it clearly was an accident - few individual moments had as much impact on this season's title race as Stephen Hunt's knee cracking Petr Cech's skull.
Chelsea's dreams were left in the hands of Carlo Cudicini (once he'd recovered from his own injury, suffered in the same game) and the hilarious Hilario for three whole months.
With the defence then hit by injury, including the ever-dependable John Terry being ruled out from the beginning of December to the beginning of February, Chelsea's real problems began.
Over the festive period and the new year, the Blues dropped points three games in succession - at home against Reading and Fulham and away to Aston Villa - while United notched up eight goals and seven points.
Three weeks later, Chelsea blew an invaluable chance to make up ground - United lost to Arsenal, but Mourinho saw his charges slip to a 2-0 defeat at Anfield...with Paolo Ferreira and Michael Essien shoe-horned in at centre-back and completely unable to cope with Peter Crouch's height.
Jose went public in his appeal for aid, begging Roman Abramovich to release the funds for a new defender. "The drama is when consecutively you cannot defend," he announced one day. "We sold William Gallas and Robert Huth in the summer. We don't have enough cover," he complained on another. "I want to go to the transfer market," came an impassioned plea, before reverse psychology was tried - "It is Mr Abramovich's club, and if he will not buy new players, that is that" - and failed. Chelsea would have to take their chances with what they had.
They might have got away with it, too, if it wasn't for those pesky end-of-season games. Following the Liverpool game, with no new defenders to shore things up, the Blues won nine Premiership games on the bounce, conceding just one goal. The gap began to close.
And then, disaster struck. First came a draw with Newcastle - but United were held by Boro. But then Ricardo Carvalho was forced from the field against Bolton. Michael Essien moved to centre-back. Chelsea dropped points. In his side's next game, against Arsenal, Mourinho turned to the out of favour Khalid Boulahrouz...who gave away a penalty and was sent off. Points were dropped. The title was lost. And all because Roman wouldn't buy Jose the defender he wanted.
More here.
Chelski's Winter Of Discontent
Accident or no accident - and contrary to Jose Mourinho's rants and the opinions of a few misguided newspaper columnists, it clearly was an accident - few individual moments had as much impact on this season's title race as Stephen Hunt's knee cracking Petr Cech's skull.
Chelsea's dreams were left in the hands of Carlo Cudicini (once he'd recovered from his own injury, suffered in the same game) and the hilarious Hilario for three whole months.
With the defence then hit by injury, including the ever-dependable John Terry being ruled out from the beginning of December to the beginning of February, Chelsea's real problems began.
Over the festive period and the new year, the Blues dropped points three games in succession - at home against Reading and Fulham and away to Aston Villa - while United notched up eight goals and seven points.
Three weeks later, Chelsea blew an invaluable chance to make up ground - United lost to Arsenal, but Mourinho saw his charges slip to a 2-0 defeat at Anfield...with Paolo Ferreira and Michael Essien shoe-horned in at centre-back and completely unable to cope with Peter Crouch's height.
Jose went public in his appeal for aid, begging Roman Abramovich to release the funds for a new defender. "The drama is when consecutively you cannot defend," he announced one day. "We sold William Gallas and Robert Huth in the summer. We don't have enough cover," he complained on another. "I want to go to the transfer market," came an impassioned plea, before reverse psychology was tried - "It is Mr Abramovich's club, and if he will not buy new players, that is that" - and failed. Chelsea would have to take their chances with what they had.
They might have got away with it, too, if it wasn't for those pesky end-of-season games. Following the Liverpool game, with no new defenders to shore things up, the Blues won nine Premiership games on the bounce, conceding just one goal. The gap began to close.
And then, disaster struck. First came a draw with Newcastle - but United were held by Boro. But then Ricardo Carvalho was forced from the field against Bolton. Michael Essien moved to centre-back. Chelsea dropped points. In his side's next game, against Arsenal, Mourinho turned to the out of favour Khalid Boulahrouz...who gave away a penalty and was sent off. Points were dropped. The title was lost. And all because Roman wouldn't buy Jose the defender he wanted.
More here.
it has been that all season
