The Hindu : Sport / Football : Chelsea is `almost there'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006

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Sport - Football

Chelsea is `almost there'

LONDON: Jose Mourinho admitted that Chelsea is "almost there" in its quest for consecutive Premiership titles after the Blues defeated Everton 3-0 on Monday.

His team now needs to avoid defeat in just one of its last three league matches to keep the championship trophy in the Stamford Bridge cabinet.

Chelsea will retain the Premiership if it wins or draws against Manchester United when the Red Devils visit Stamford Bridge on April 29, although Mourinho denied that this scenario would give him any extra satisfaction.

"We are very close but not there yet, and now I just want to be the champion," he said. "Some people prefer to win it at home, some away, but for me the thing is to beat Manchester United and if we do that we will be champions.

"If it was Blackburn or Newcastle, the desire would be the same. You cannot choose. The supporters want us to be champions at home so they can give us an extra push, and maybe that will take us to the silverware.

"For me it is important to finish in front of Manchester United. I have always said that the best team wins the championship because it is 10 months long, and it is not about luck or mistakes. The best team wins so if at the end of the season we finish first, I am very happy."

Ruthless best

Chelsea is back to its ruthless best after a minor wobble, and the victory over Everton was thoroughly deserved.

After a sluggish start, it forged ahead in the 28th minute when Didier Drogba craftily snaffled possession from Tim Cahill before marauding forward and slipping a pass to Frank Lampard, who dispatched a low drive into the bottom corner for his 20th goal of the season.

Victory was sealed by two quick-fire goals mid-way through the second half.

First Drogba thumped in a header from Lampard's corner and then Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien smashed a fierce near-post shot past Richard Wright from a tight angle.

It was a routine victory for Chelsea, which was helped in its efforts by Lee Carsley's sending-off shortly after half-time.

Referee Rob Styles was in no doubt after the midfielder crunched into Drogba's standing leg with a scissor-style tackle, although Everton manager David Moyes was unconvinced.

Cech injured

The only cloud on Chelsea's horizon was an injury to the goalkeeper Petr Cech. The Czech international had stitches in a knee wound after clashing with Everton's James Beattie just before the interval and he failed to reappear for the second half.

For now, however, Chelsea is content to bask in the knowledge that its is closing in on another title and, potentially, its first ever league and cup double.

"We'll have to wait a little longer but we always knew that the Manchester United game would be crucial so we don't mind that," said Lampard.

"Back-to-back titles is a great achievement because everyone says that winning the second title is hardest. Now we are focusing on the double."

Other results: Charlton 2, Portsmouth 1; Middlesbrough 2, West Ham 0; Sunderland 1, Newcastle 4; West Bromwich Albion 0, Bolton 0. — Agencies

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