Reaction: Back on track
01.02.08
01.02.08
Having overseen our best ever result in a fixture at West Ham, Avram Grant was understandably a happy man.
The 4-0 score line achieved today after goals from Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole eclipses last season's 4-1 win, and keeps us in touching distance of league leaders Arsenal, who could only draw against Aston Villa this afternoon.
Having seen a disappointing performance from his side at Wembley last week, Grant was impressed with how the team responded today, controlling the game from start to finish, despite the dismissal of Frank Lampard in the 35th minute.
'I think we played very good, we used our chances in the first half, and made some more. Again, many goals from combinations, so I like it,' Grant said.
'In the second half, we played with one man short but were very clever and controlled the game. They created not even one chance. We needed to play a little bit differently on the tactical side and I think we did it very well,' he added.
It was a feeling that fits in with Grant's overall assessment of his side since he took charge in September.
'I cannot judge the players only from one game, good or bad, but I can see in the last five or six months the players gave more than 90 percent good performances. Also, [there have been] a lot of wins, so this makes me happy,' he said.
Grant elected to leave Didier Drogba on the bench throughout the game, possibly with one eye on Wednesday's visit of Olympiacos in the Champions League, and his explanation for this decision seems to have been justified given the resounding nature of victory.
He said: 'I will not speak about the players that are not playing. Didier is a great striker, but it can't be a question of those who are not playing. I give my respect to all the squad, and he has been very good for us in the past, and he will be in the future.
'My reason for the team that played was that it could win the game. I am thinking of more than one game.'
The main talking point to result from the game was Lampard's sending off, the second of his Chelsea career. Grant's focus was on another second, the number of instances assistant referees have made big decisions against us in the last seven days.
'It's the second week the assistant referee made a decision. Last week the referee was five metres away from the penalty and an assistant twenty metres away gave the decision.
'This week the assistant said Frank slapped the face of Boa Morte. If it's true I think the rule is a red card, if not maybe someone else needs to get a red card, but I must admit I didn't see it. If the assistant referee is right, it's a red card,' the Israeli conceded.
Lampard will now miss three domestic games, with his return being the home Premier League game with Arsenal, who are now just a point clear at the top, after Manchester United's win at Fulham.
Grant's take on the title race is that there is still plenty of distance left to run, and that Chelsea are by no means out of it.
'I think we are in the title race all the time. In the last three or four months we were, and we need to keep on,' he stressed.
Next up for us is the Champions League on Wednesday and then FA Cup action at Barnsley, before recommencing league duties at home to Derby on March 12.
Fuente en inglés WEB oficial del Chelsea FC
http://www.chelseafc.com/xxchelsea180706/index.html#/page/ArchiveNews/list_2210603_0
The 4-0 score line achieved today after goals from Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole eclipses last season's 4-1 win, and keeps us in touching distance of league leaders Arsenal, who could only draw against Aston Villa this afternoon.
Having seen a disappointing performance from his side at Wembley last week, Grant was impressed with how the team responded today, controlling the game from start to finish, despite the dismissal of Frank Lampard in the 35th minute.
'I think we played very good, we used our chances in the first half, and made some more. Again, many goals from combinations, so I like it,' Grant said.
'In the second half, we played with one man short but were very clever and controlled the game. They created not even one chance. We needed to play a little bit differently on the tactical side and I think we did it very well,' he added.
It was a feeling that fits in with Grant's overall assessment of his side since he took charge in September.
'I cannot judge the players only from one game, good or bad, but I can see in the last five or six months the players gave more than 90 percent good performances. Also, [there have been] a lot of wins, so this makes me happy,' he said.
Grant elected to leave Didier Drogba on the bench throughout the game, possibly with one eye on Wednesday's visit of Olympiacos in the Champions League, and his explanation for this decision seems to have been justified given the resounding nature of victory.
He said: 'I will not speak about the players that are not playing. Didier is a great striker, but it can't be a question of those who are not playing. I give my respect to all the squad, and he has been very good for us in the past, and he will be in the future.
'My reason for the team that played was that it could win the game. I am thinking of more than one game.'
The main talking point to result from the game was Lampard's sending off, the second of his Chelsea career. Grant's focus was on another second, the number of instances assistant referees have made big decisions against us in the last seven days.
'It's the second week the assistant referee made a decision. Last week the referee was five metres away from the penalty and an assistant twenty metres away gave the decision.
'This week the assistant said Frank slapped the face of Boa Morte. If it's true I think the rule is a red card, if not maybe someone else needs to get a red card, but I must admit I didn't see it. If the assistant referee is right, it's a red card,' the Israeli conceded.
Lampard will now miss three domestic games, with his return being the home Premier League game with Arsenal, who are now just a point clear at the top, after Manchester United's win at Fulham.
Grant's take on the title race is that there is still plenty of distance left to run, and that Chelsea are by no means out of it.
'I think we are in the title race all the time. In the last three or four months we were, and we need to keep on,' he stressed.
Next up for us is the Champions League on Wednesday and then FA Cup action at Barnsley, before recommencing league duties at home to Derby on March 12.
Fuente en inglés WEB oficial del Chelsea FC
http://www.chelseafc.com/xxchelsea180706/index.html#/page/ArchiveNews/list_2210603_0
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