Post by sharky on Jan 2, 2013 23:10:14 GMT
10 Years ago Today: It's a little sad, that this is our highlight...but got to appreciate what one can!
MATCH REPORTS
From the Daily Telegraph
Chelsea 0 Queens Park Rangers 1: match report
Read a full match report of the Premier League game between Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday Jan 2, 2013.
By Henry Winter9:45PM GMT 02 Jan 201326 Comments
Part of Chelsea’s history returned to haunt them on Wednesday night. Shaun Wright-Phillips, who played at the Bridge from 2005-08, struck the coolest of winners to engineer the most unlikely of results. “Can we play you every week?” chanted the QPR fans at the final whistle.
As Wright-Phillips gave QPR belief that they can survive, this was a game to delight the statisticians as well as QPR supporters. This was Wright-Phillips’s first league goal in 969 days. QPR had not won here in the top division since March 1979 and this was their first away win in the Premier League since November 2011. Harry Redknapp had not won at the Bridge since March 1999.
Redknapp’s players gave everything from back to front, to Júlio César in goal to Clint Hill and Ryan Nelsen at centre-back through to Adel Taarabt in attack. Chelsea fans, meanwhile, will debate Rafa Benítez’s decision to start some of his stars on the bench when they are not in Premier League action for 10 days.
Benítez rotated, leaving Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Ashley Cole engaged in a lengthy keepy-uppy session before kick-off. The manager gave a chance to the likes of Marko Marin, whose desire to make an impact took on a juddering significance after three minutes.
Marin was cutting inside, looking to launch an attack but over-ran the ball. In seeking to regain it, Marin launched himself at Stephane Mbia, catching the QPR midfielder in his right leg. It was high, late and dangerous and demanded a red card. Lee Mason will have some explaining to do to his PGMO overlords over why he deemed it worthy only of a yellow.
Chelsea’s changes inevitably affected their rhythm. They missed Mata’s guile and the trickery of Hazard, who replaced Marin after an hour. The champions of Europe needed some more subtlety to break down the massed ranks of QPR’s defence.
Redknapp had fielded Shaun Derry in front of the back four with Mbia and Esteban Granero close by. Jamie Mackie was tireless up and down the right while Junior Hoilett, initially, patrolled the left. But Hoilett sustained an injury after 20 minutes and hobbled away, replaced by Wright-Phillips, who was well-received by the Chelsea fans.
QPR’s attack was led by Taarabt, not the most obvious target-man, but he worked diligently. He managed to trick his way past David Luiz at one point in the first half but then wasted the opportunity.
With little football to sing about, Chelsea fans resorted to taunting their relegation-threatened neighbours with chants of “We’ll never play you again” and “Jose Bosingwa”, a salute to their former full-back who upset Redknapp by refusing to sit on the bench against Fulham on Dec 15.
Chelsea enjoyed fleeting moments of promise in an impoverished first half. Victor Moses found space on the right and whipped in a cross that deflected towards Luiz, whose shot cannoned down and over. Luiz, playing in the deep-midfield two with Frank Lampard, then cleared out Oscar in contesting an aerial ball.
Oscar recovered, soon running on to a Marin pass and bending a shot from left to right goalwards. Hill steered the danger away with a firm header. Chelsea then pieced together another move. Oscar glided in from the right, exchanged passes with Fernando Torres before bending the ball with the outside of his right boot towards Marin on the left. His cross was good but Fabio was determined, heading clear under pressure.
The game continued to lose its way, subsiding towards half-time like a balloon deflating. Derry caught Marin, an act that did not seem to perturb Mason. Branislav Ivanovic then connected with a shot that startled a few in the upper tier of the Shed.
The fans seemed more emotionally engaged than the players. When Ashley Cole emerged to warm up, 2,800 QPR fans reminded him they had not forgotten the John Terry-Anton Ferdinand dispute.
The second half was an improvement. It could hardly be worse. When Marin crossed, Moses failed from five yards. Then Marin swept over a corner that Ivanovic headed over. César then made a magnificent save from Torres from eight yards.
QPR still threatened on the counter. Wright-Phillips and Taarabt combined down the left, working the ball back to Granero whose curling shot was held by Ross Turnbull, who was deputising for the injured Petr Cech. Gary Cahill then executed a wonderful sliding tackle to nick the ball from under the feet of the bustling Mackie, who was through on goal.
Benítez removed Marin, slightly unfortunately as he had just run into a bit of form in a disjointed game. Hazard immediately began imposing himself, lifting in decent balls but QPR stood firm. Chelsea attacked from every angle, Oscar sweeping in a ball that Fabio headed out.
Oscar then lifted in another ball, aimed for Torres, but César claimed it comfortably.
Then came an astonishing twist. With 13 minutes remaining, Chelsea failed to clear properly at a corner and Taarabt took control. He could have tried one of his little jinking runs, nipping into the box. Instead, he calmly rolled the ball right to Wright-Phillips who scored with a fine low strike, the ball placed firmly from 20 yards past Turnbull. Out of respect for his former fans, Wright-Phillips eschewed excessive celebrations.
Benítez promptly removed Lampard, who had had a quiet game, and sent on Ramires. Lampard shook his hand and joined the backbenches. As the seconds ticked away, QPR fans beseeched their team to hold on. With four minutes remaining, Ivanovic was fouled by Clint Hill. Luiz took the free-kick but QPR’s nine-man wall would not yield.
From the Daily Mail online
Chelsea 0 QPR 1: Wright-Phillips scores on Stamford Bridge return to give Rafa the Blues
By DUNCAN BECH, PRESS ASSOCIATION
Chelsea's four-match winning run in the Barclays Premier League ground to a spectacular halt as struggling west London rivals QPR claimed their first victory at Stamford Bridge for two decades.
Shaun Wright-Phillips, an early substitute for the injured Junior Hoilett, struck a brilliant 78th-minute winner against the club he left in 2008 to further erode the Blues' fading title hopes.
Bolt from the blue: Wright-Phillips' 79th-minute strike stunned the hosts
Match facts
Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Bertrand, Luiz, Lampard (Ramires 79), Marin (Hazard 60), Oscar, Moses (Mata 75), Torres.
Subs not used: Hilario, Cole, Ferreira, Piazon.
Booked: Marin.
QPR: Julio Cesar, Onuoha, Nelsen, Hill, Da Silva, Mbia, Derry, Hoilett (Wright-Phillips 15), Granero (Park 90), Taarabt (Dyer 90), Mackie.
Subs not used: Green, Ferdinand, Cisse, Faurlin.
Booked: Hill.
Goal: Wright-Phillips 79.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Attendance: 41,634
The latest Premier League table, fixtures and results
Wright-Phillips' second goal of the season topped a fine performance from QPR that was a vast improvement on Sunday's tame home surrender to Liverpool.
Rangers defended resolutely throughout and created more chances to score in an entertaining second half.
It was a crucial victory that ended their three-match losing run, giving Harry Redknapp his second win since becoming manager last month, and while they remain bottom of the table on goal difference the result invigorated their relegation battle.
Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez dropped Ramires, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard to the bench, but the Blues still created more than enough chances to be out of sight before Wright-Phillips pounced.
The lack of a goal will have added urgency to Chelsea's pursuit of Demba Ba after today tabling the £7million bid that has triggered the release clause in the Newcastle striker's contract.
Lucky boy: Marko Marin was fortunate not to see red for this challenge on Stephane Mbia
Marko Marin, making his first start, was extremely lucky to escape a fourth-minute red card from referee Lee Mason after driving into the shin of Stephane Mbia with a one-footed, studs-first challenge.
It was then Mbia's turn to enjoy some luck when his woeful pass was intercepted by Oscar, but the Brazilian's lay off to Fernando Torres was underhit.
Back with a bang: Harry Redknapp's men recovered from their humiliating defeat at home to Liverpool
QPR suffered a setback when Hoilett limped off in the 16th minute with what appeared to be a hamstring problem, resulting in Wright-Phillips' arrival from the bench.
David Luiz directed an attempt into the ground and onto the top netting and Chelsea threatened again shortly after when Branislav Ivanovic outmuscled Adel Taarabt and drove into the box, finding Marin who gave the ball away.
Rock solid: Ryan Nelsen impressed at the back for QPR
A corner bounced harmlessly off the shin of Torres and play quickly swept to the opposite end as Esteban Granero picked out Wright-Phillips from long range, with the ensuing first-time shot slipping narrowly wide.
QPR rarely escaped their half but were defending resolutely with skipper Clint Hill nodding clear a curling shot from Oscar.
The Blues lost their way in the 10 minutes before half-time, the result of a lack of urgency and series of errors, but shots from Oscar and Frank Lampard brought them back to life.
Gamble: Benitez rested several key men for the west London derby
Moses wasted a glorious chance three minutes after the interval when he steered Marin's fast pass wide when only four yards out.
QPR's goal was coming under growing pressure with Ivanovic grazing the crossbar, Luiz seeing a rocket blocked and only a brave save by Julio Cesar denying Torres from point-blank range.
Taarabt and Wright-Phillips combined superbly to tee up Granero but the Spaniard's shot was plucked from the air by goalkeeper Ross Turnbull, who started ahead of groin injury victim Petr Cech.
Bad day at the office: Chelsea couldn't break QPR's resistance
QPR were now in the ascendancy with Jamie Mackie denied a one on one with Turnbull by a last-ditch tackle from Gary Cahill before Shaun Derry's header was caught by the Chelsea goalkeeper.
Lampard then stabbed the ball home but the flag had been raised for offside in what was a close but correct call.
Right place, Wright time: Former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips lashes home the winner
Once again Chelsea faded and this time QPR took advantage, working the ball from a corner via Taarabt to Wright-Phillips, who drove the ball into the bottom left corner of the net from the edge of the area.
Ivanovic nodded over the crossbar in the dying moments and QPR held on for a precious three points
Read more: qprreport.proboards.com/thread/34583/years-today-highlight-year-chelsea#ixzz530pmcvGN
Photos (81) from Chelsea's Loss to Queen's Park Rangers
www.zimbio.com/pictures/10w5MtXIy0G/Chelsea+v+Queens+Park+Rangers+Premier+League/O6wqeSMKZNG
MATCH REPORTS
From the Daily Telegraph
Chelsea 0 Queens Park Rangers 1: match report
Read a full match report of the Premier League game between Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday Jan 2, 2013.
By Henry Winter9:45PM GMT 02 Jan 201326 Comments
Part of Chelsea’s history returned to haunt them on Wednesday night. Shaun Wright-Phillips, who played at the Bridge from 2005-08, struck the coolest of winners to engineer the most unlikely of results. “Can we play you every week?” chanted the QPR fans at the final whistle.
As Wright-Phillips gave QPR belief that they can survive, this was a game to delight the statisticians as well as QPR supporters. This was Wright-Phillips’s first league goal in 969 days. QPR had not won here in the top division since March 1979 and this was their first away win in the Premier League since November 2011. Harry Redknapp had not won at the Bridge since March 1999.
Redknapp’s players gave everything from back to front, to Júlio César in goal to Clint Hill and Ryan Nelsen at centre-back through to Adel Taarabt in attack. Chelsea fans, meanwhile, will debate Rafa Benítez’s decision to start some of his stars on the bench when they are not in Premier League action for 10 days.
Benítez rotated, leaving Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Ashley Cole engaged in a lengthy keepy-uppy session before kick-off. The manager gave a chance to the likes of Marko Marin, whose desire to make an impact took on a juddering significance after three minutes.
Marin was cutting inside, looking to launch an attack but over-ran the ball. In seeking to regain it, Marin launched himself at Stephane Mbia, catching the QPR midfielder in his right leg. It was high, late and dangerous and demanded a red card. Lee Mason will have some explaining to do to his PGMO overlords over why he deemed it worthy only of a yellow.
Chelsea’s changes inevitably affected their rhythm. They missed Mata’s guile and the trickery of Hazard, who replaced Marin after an hour. The champions of Europe needed some more subtlety to break down the massed ranks of QPR’s defence.
Redknapp had fielded Shaun Derry in front of the back four with Mbia and Esteban Granero close by. Jamie Mackie was tireless up and down the right while Junior Hoilett, initially, patrolled the left. But Hoilett sustained an injury after 20 minutes and hobbled away, replaced by Wright-Phillips, who was well-received by the Chelsea fans.
QPR’s attack was led by Taarabt, not the most obvious target-man, but he worked diligently. He managed to trick his way past David Luiz at one point in the first half but then wasted the opportunity.
With little football to sing about, Chelsea fans resorted to taunting their relegation-threatened neighbours with chants of “We’ll never play you again” and “Jose Bosingwa”, a salute to their former full-back who upset Redknapp by refusing to sit on the bench against Fulham on Dec 15.
Chelsea enjoyed fleeting moments of promise in an impoverished first half. Victor Moses found space on the right and whipped in a cross that deflected towards Luiz, whose shot cannoned down and over. Luiz, playing in the deep-midfield two with Frank Lampard, then cleared out Oscar in contesting an aerial ball.
Oscar recovered, soon running on to a Marin pass and bending a shot from left to right goalwards. Hill steered the danger away with a firm header. Chelsea then pieced together another move. Oscar glided in from the right, exchanged passes with Fernando Torres before bending the ball with the outside of his right boot towards Marin on the left. His cross was good but Fabio was determined, heading clear under pressure.
The game continued to lose its way, subsiding towards half-time like a balloon deflating. Derry caught Marin, an act that did not seem to perturb Mason. Branislav Ivanovic then connected with a shot that startled a few in the upper tier of the Shed.
The fans seemed more emotionally engaged than the players. When Ashley Cole emerged to warm up, 2,800 QPR fans reminded him they had not forgotten the John Terry-Anton Ferdinand dispute.
The second half was an improvement. It could hardly be worse. When Marin crossed, Moses failed from five yards. Then Marin swept over a corner that Ivanovic headed over. César then made a magnificent save from Torres from eight yards.
QPR still threatened on the counter. Wright-Phillips and Taarabt combined down the left, working the ball back to Granero whose curling shot was held by Ross Turnbull, who was deputising for the injured Petr Cech. Gary Cahill then executed a wonderful sliding tackle to nick the ball from under the feet of the bustling Mackie, who was through on goal.
Benítez removed Marin, slightly unfortunately as he had just run into a bit of form in a disjointed game. Hazard immediately began imposing himself, lifting in decent balls but QPR stood firm. Chelsea attacked from every angle, Oscar sweeping in a ball that Fabio headed out.
Oscar then lifted in another ball, aimed for Torres, but César claimed it comfortably.
Then came an astonishing twist. With 13 minutes remaining, Chelsea failed to clear properly at a corner and Taarabt took control. He could have tried one of his little jinking runs, nipping into the box. Instead, he calmly rolled the ball right to Wright-Phillips who scored with a fine low strike, the ball placed firmly from 20 yards past Turnbull. Out of respect for his former fans, Wright-Phillips eschewed excessive celebrations.
Benítez promptly removed Lampard, who had had a quiet game, and sent on Ramires. Lampard shook his hand and joined the backbenches. As the seconds ticked away, QPR fans beseeched their team to hold on. With four minutes remaining, Ivanovic was fouled by Clint Hill. Luiz took the free-kick but QPR’s nine-man wall would not yield.
From the Daily Mail online
Chelsea 0 QPR 1: Wright-Phillips scores on Stamford Bridge return to give Rafa the Blues
By DUNCAN BECH, PRESS ASSOCIATION
Chelsea's four-match winning run in the Barclays Premier League ground to a spectacular halt as struggling west London rivals QPR claimed their first victory at Stamford Bridge for two decades.
Shaun Wright-Phillips, an early substitute for the injured Junior Hoilett, struck a brilliant 78th-minute winner against the club he left in 2008 to further erode the Blues' fading title hopes.
Bolt from the blue: Wright-Phillips' 79th-minute strike stunned the hosts
Match facts
Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Bertrand, Luiz, Lampard (Ramires 79), Marin (Hazard 60), Oscar, Moses (Mata 75), Torres.
Subs not used: Hilario, Cole, Ferreira, Piazon.
Booked: Marin.
QPR: Julio Cesar, Onuoha, Nelsen, Hill, Da Silva, Mbia, Derry, Hoilett (Wright-Phillips 15), Granero (Park 90), Taarabt (Dyer 90), Mackie.
Subs not used: Green, Ferdinand, Cisse, Faurlin.
Booked: Hill.
Goal: Wright-Phillips 79.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Attendance: 41,634
The latest Premier League table, fixtures and results
Wright-Phillips' second goal of the season topped a fine performance from QPR that was a vast improvement on Sunday's tame home surrender to Liverpool.
Rangers defended resolutely throughout and created more chances to score in an entertaining second half.
It was a crucial victory that ended their three-match losing run, giving Harry Redknapp his second win since becoming manager last month, and while they remain bottom of the table on goal difference the result invigorated their relegation battle.
Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez dropped Ramires, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard to the bench, but the Blues still created more than enough chances to be out of sight before Wright-Phillips pounced.
The lack of a goal will have added urgency to Chelsea's pursuit of Demba Ba after today tabling the £7million bid that has triggered the release clause in the Newcastle striker's contract.
Lucky boy: Marko Marin was fortunate not to see red for this challenge on Stephane Mbia
Marko Marin, making his first start, was extremely lucky to escape a fourth-minute red card from referee Lee Mason after driving into the shin of Stephane Mbia with a one-footed, studs-first challenge.
It was then Mbia's turn to enjoy some luck when his woeful pass was intercepted by Oscar, but the Brazilian's lay off to Fernando Torres was underhit.
Back with a bang: Harry Redknapp's men recovered from their humiliating defeat at home to Liverpool
QPR suffered a setback when Hoilett limped off in the 16th minute with what appeared to be a hamstring problem, resulting in Wright-Phillips' arrival from the bench.
David Luiz directed an attempt into the ground and onto the top netting and Chelsea threatened again shortly after when Branislav Ivanovic outmuscled Adel Taarabt and drove into the box, finding Marin who gave the ball away.
Rock solid: Ryan Nelsen impressed at the back for QPR
A corner bounced harmlessly off the shin of Torres and play quickly swept to the opposite end as Esteban Granero picked out Wright-Phillips from long range, with the ensuing first-time shot slipping narrowly wide.
QPR rarely escaped their half but were defending resolutely with skipper Clint Hill nodding clear a curling shot from Oscar.
The Blues lost their way in the 10 minutes before half-time, the result of a lack of urgency and series of errors, but shots from Oscar and Frank Lampard brought them back to life.
Gamble: Benitez rested several key men for the west London derby
Moses wasted a glorious chance three minutes after the interval when he steered Marin's fast pass wide when only four yards out.
QPR's goal was coming under growing pressure with Ivanovic grazing the crossbar, Luiz seeing a rocket blocked and only a brave save by Julio Cesar denying Torres from point-blank range.
Taarabt and Wright-Phillips combined superbly to tee up Granero but the Spaniard's shot was plucked from the air by goalkeeper Ross Turnbull, who started ahead of groin injury victim Petr Cech.
Bad day at the office: Chelsea couldn't break QPR's resistance
QPR were now in the ascendancy with Jamie Mackie denied a one on one with Turnbull by a last-ditch tackle from Gary Cahill before Shaun Derry's header was caught by the Chelsea goalkeeper.
Lampard then stabbed the ball home but the flag had been raised for offside in what was a close but correct call.
Right place, Wright time: Former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips lashes home the winner
Once again Chelsea faded and this time QPR took advantage, working the ball from a corner via Taarabt to Wright-Phillips, who drove the ball into the bottom left corner of the net from the edge of the area.
Ivanovic nodded over the crossbar in the dying moments and QPR held on for a precious three points
Read more: qprreport.proboards.com/thread/34583/years-today-highlight-year-chelsea#ixzz530pmcvGN
Photos (81) from Chelsea's Loss to Queen's Park Rangers
www.zimbio.com/pictures/10w5MtXIy0G/Chelsea+v+Queens+Park+Rangers+Premier+League/O6wqeSMKZNG
