EPL ~ Chelsea miss out on top spot... again

zocoss SG

Everton assistant manager, has complained that Fellaini’s poor disciplinary record may stem from the midfield player’s towering physique and distinctive hairstyle.

Monday, 22 December 2008

Everton v Chelsea - 4.00 am

Chelsea can reclaim first place in the Barclays Premier League with victory at Goodison Park this evening and Frank Lampard has urged his teammates to make the most of the chance to take charge of the title race.

Manchester United have been the biggest beneficiaries of the past week, with all their rivals dropping points while Sir Alex Ferguson’s team were in Japan winning the Club World Cup, but a win over Everton would put Chelsea one point clear of Liverpool and eight points ahead of United, who will have two games in hand when they return.

Chelsea wasted the opportunity to go top eight days ago, drawing 1-1 at home to West Ham United after Liverpool had been held by Hull City the previous afternoon, and, with Rafael BenÍtez’s side again frustrated yesterday away to Arsenal, Lampard knows that Chelsea have the opportunity to seize control of the battle for the championship.

“We’re going to Everton and we have to win,” the England midfield player said. “We’ve had some good performances up there in the past and we’re confident. What we have to do now is push on. We can’t keep giving away chances to go top like we did against West Ham last week.”

Chelsea’s record against Everton is formidable – they have not been beaten in 20 encounters since November 2000 – and, with the home team still struggling to field a recognised forward, Lampard’s optimism seems well founded. Yakubu Ayegbeni and James Vaughan, who have Achilles tendon and knee injuries respectively, are out of David Moyes’s plans for the foreseeable future and, although Victor Anichebe and Louis Saha will undergo fitness tests today, the Everton manager is reluctant to risk either player.

Despite their injury problems, Everton have made steady progress in recent weeks, climbing to seventh, with Marouane Fellaini, their £15 million signing from Standard Liège in September, making an impact, but Steve Round, the Everton assistant manager, has complained that Fellaini’s poor disciplinary record – he has picked up eight yellow cards in his past 13 appearances – may stem from the midfield player’s towering physique and distinctive hairstyle. “He has said he is disappointed with how many bookings he has received,” Round said. “We have also put it down to the fact he is quite recognisable. I think referees maybe need to take a look at him and book him on merit, rather than because it’s big Fellaini.”

Everton (possible; 4-4-1-1): T Howard – P Neville, J Yobo, P Jagielka, J Lescott – M Arteta, S Castillo, M Fellaini, S Pienaar – L Osman – T Cahill.

Chelsea (possible; 4-1-4-1): P Cech – J Bosingwa, Alex, J Terry, A Cole – J O Mikel – J Cole, M Ballack, F Lampard, Deco – N Anelka.

Referee: P Dowd.

Y_Shun SG

i think this match is roughly the same as other away matches.....

gasband SG

They have done well in away matches so I think they should overcome Everton. As a Liverpool fan, I will be sad when that happens but I guess its a good lesson for Liverpool to learn that if you wanna be champions, you gotta be ruthless especially when your opponents all slipped up.

dragg SG

its not gonna be easy at goodison.

dragg SG

it finished 0 - 0. terry was sent off in the first half for dangerous play.

it really changed the whole complexion of the game.

zocoss SG

Will Terry appeal and get it turnover like the last red card he got?

What are the chances he can get this turn?

zocoss SG

Lunging: Terry connects with Osman, with the defender given his marching orders by referee Dowd (below)

Lunging: Terry connects with Osman, with the defender given his marching orders by referee Dowd after a brief altercation (below)

John Terry of Chelsea is sent off by Referee Phil Dowd

John Terry was sent off for the second time this season as Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Barclays Premier League in a fiery goalless draw at Goodison Park last night.

The England skipper was shown a straight red by referee Phil Dowd in the 35th minute when he caught Everton’s Leon Osman with a lunging tackle.

The decision provoked fury, with Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari. According to TV touchline reporter Dan Roan, Scolari turned on ref Phil Dowd in the Goodison tunnel at half-time and yelled: “Were you afraid of the crowd? Were you afraid?”

Terry successfully appealed against his sending-off at Manchester City in September for what was also adjudged to have been a reckless tackle — on Brazil striker Jo — but it is unlikely he will escape a three-match ban this time.

He caught Osman’s foot with a challenge Everton manager David Moyes described as ‘reckless’ and sent the midfielder flying. ‘My thought at the pitchside was his foot was off the ground,’ said Moyes. ‘They say now that if you’re not in control of our body — which I can’t believe because I was a defender and you have to tackle — it’s a sending-off and my feeling at the time was that it was a reckless challenge.’

It was the third dismissal of Terry’s career following the two yellow cards he picked up at Tottenham in November 2006.

Rugby tackle: Terry saw his three-match ban rescinded for this challenge on Jo

Rugby tackle: Terry saw his three-match ban rescinded for this challenge on Jo

Although Scolari was unhappy at the decision, his goalkeeper Petr Cech said: ‘It’s hard to say (if it was a red card) because I was far from it. It was hard for the referee as well because there was a lot of noise from the crowd. But he made a decision and we have to live with that.’

The draw not only prevented Chelsea from leapfrogging Liverpool at the top, but also spoilt Scolari’s perfect away record in the league this season as he was denied a ninth straight win.

Everton’s Steven Pienaar had a late effort ruled out for offside but Moyes had no complaints. ‘I think the referee and linesman got it right,’ he said.

Melee: Pienaar (left) sees his effort disallowed for offside

Melee: Pienaar (left) sees his effort disallowed for offside

JT will now miss the Premier League games against West Brom and Fulham, as well as the FA Cup tie with Southend.

zocoss SG

Siege mentalities can be constructed by blaming others. Rational analysis operates on altogether different principles. As a disenchanted and dismissed John Terry headed for the tunnel, Chelsea's immediate reaction was to blame the referee - Phil Dowd - and then the Goodison Park crowd. Finding scapegoats externally is easier than attributing fault internally.

Yet a sense of injustice, however misplaced, can be a powerful source of motivation. Fuelled by their sense of grievance, Chelsea's remaining contingent of 10 dug out a draw.

When a decision displeased them against Everton, a depleted team featuring a second-choice central defensive duo of Branislav Ivanovic and Alex ensured a seventh successive clean sheet away from home in the Premier League. However, they are not top of the league and their 100% record on their travels has been shed. For that, responsibility lies with their captain because of Terry's expulsion for an x-rated challenge. Without a centre-forward to mark, he had advanced on to the left flank where he lunged in on Leon Osman.

The combination of raised studs and a straight leg is never advisable, especially when the tackling foot is some two feet off the ground. Dowd, resolutely avoiding eye contact, brandished the red card and hastily walked away. Terry's exit was rather slower. After having a red card rescinded after a rugby tackle at Manchester City and escaping another for an awful challenge against Arsenal, it points to a pattern of poor tackling.

Chelsea would presumably disagree. Terry's subsequent absence from the pitch was mirrored by Luiz Felipe Scolari's from the subsequent press conference. A Chelsea spokesman said: ''None of the management team feel able to come up. They have a number of issues with a number of decisions during the game. They feel it better that they don't say anything rather than get into trouble.''

Following an infamous appearance from a monosyllabic Avram Grant after Chelsea's last game at Goodison Park, it has become a venue that brings the unexpected from them. At the very least, it suggested Scolari's early-season charm offensive has been abandoned amid a refusal to accept unfavourable decisions.

The manager who did appear to speak to the press provided a different view of the incident. ''My first reaction was that I thought it was reckless,'' said David Moyes. ''In my day, I'd have enjoyed a tackle like that, but I don't think they allow it now.''

They don't, and Dowd applied the current interpretation of the law. That served to increase a persecution complex. A feeling of victimisation manifested itself in disagreements with Dowd as first Frank Lampard and then Ashley Cole collected cautions for dissent. Michael Ballack, who had attempted to even up the numbers by alleging Tim Cahill elbowed him, was booked for complaining an Everton wall had not retreated. Dowd, pacing it out, proved they had.

His evening was not over. Steven Pienaar was already celebrating when he was adjudged offside after turning in the rebound when Petr Cech blocked Osman's shot, though there was a suspicion the South African kicked the ball out of the goalkeeper's grasp. One manager, however, did not dispute the decision. Moyes said: ''I think the referee got the big decisions right. I think it was just offside and it possibly could have been in his [Cech's] hands.

Chris88110 SG

Well well well, seems chelsea are'nt doing too well. Should'nt have sacked grant now should'nt you roman? To make things worse, no monye for scolari. lol

dragg SG

ballack is really a flop.

130k to do nothing constructive.

charlize SG

Knn, all give chance to Liverpool.

AEW5001 SG

Knn, all give chance to Liverpool.

got pattern alr. Liverpool draw, Chelsea also draw. lol

Chris88110 SG

got pattern alr. Liverpool draw, Chelsea also draw. lol

And Man Utd benefits

dragg SG

And Man Utd benefits

the results do favour only man u.

charlize SG

Man U will pull within 1 point of Liverpool if they win their next 2 games in hand.

zocoss SG

This whole thing of Terry getting sent-off is kind of weird... It happened because Terry was so free as Everton didn't had a striker on the pitch for him to mark as all were injured... lol... and he was so free that he when to mark a winger on the left... Where was A Cole i wonder...