Chelsea

Clubs await Champions League draw
Liverpool and Chelsea could end up in the same group in Thursday's draw for the Champions League group stages. Uefa altered its rules to allow holders Liverpool to defend their title, but the governing body is not keeping them apart from the English champions. However, Uefa rankings mean the Reds will not be drawn in the same group as Arsenal or Manchester United. Rangers are also in the draw at 1500 BST after Wednesday's qualifying win over Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus. England have four teams in the group stages, a total matched by Italy and Spain, while Germany have three. With the exception of Liverpool, Uefa will ensure that no two clubs from the same country will be drawn in the same group. We will have a big team in our group - because of this seeding it will be especially hard for us Jose Mourinho Chelsea and Arsenal were the automatic qualifiers from England after finishing first and second in the Premiership. Manchester United eased through with a 6-0 aggregate win over Hungarian side Debrecen in the third qualifying round. Holders Liverpool saw off Total Network Solutions in the first qualifying round and Kaunas in the second - before squeezing past CSKA Sofia 3-2 on aggreagate in the third. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Champions League qualifiers: AC Milan Ajax Anderlecht Arsenal Artmedia Bratislava Barcelona Bayern Munich Benfica Chelsea Club Brugge Fenerbahce Inter Milan Juventus Lille Liverpool Lyon Manchester United Olympiakos Panathinaikos Porto PSV Eindhoven Rangers Rapid Vienna Real Betis Real Madrid Rosenborg Schalke Sparta Prague Thun Udinese Villarreal Werder Bremen

Terry keen to become Chelsea boss
Chelsea captain John Terry wants to finish his playing career at Stamford Bridge and then manage the team. The England defender, 24, feels he will have learned enough from the likes of current boss Jose Mourinho to take the top job at the Premiership champions. "Management is about leadership and it follows on from being captain. "I want to stay for the rest of my career and if an opportunity comes to be manager I would be interested," he told the News of the World. Terry joined the Blues as a schoolboy and was handed his debut in October 1998 by Gianluca Vialli. He was one of the keys to their Premiership title success last season, leading Mourinho to call him the best central defender in the world and the "perfect player". "I have a long way to go, but learning from previous managers like Vialli, Claudio Ranieri and now Jose is good for me," Terry added. "If I can't learn off people like them there has to be something wrong. "Hopefully, over my career, I can take in all the information and keep it stored somewhere safe because in the end being a manager is definitely something I will be looking to do."

Mourinho asks for truce with Uefa
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will forgive and forget his rows with Uefa last season if European football's governing body is prepared to do similar. Relations were damaged after Mourinho was banned for two European matches for his comments about referee Anders Frisk and Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard. But Mourinho said: "I have to forget what they did to me with the ban and we have to start with a clean sheet. "If they want to start with a clean sheet, I will do the same." He added: "I can't separate my career as a manager from Uefa. "I did a lot of important things in my career connected with them, I won the Uefa Cup and the Champions League. "I am in Uefa's history and they are my history and no-one can break this, so the best thing is to forget what's happened." Mourinho also insisted the ban had not affected Chelsea's progress in last season's Champions League, where they were knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual winners Liverpool. He continued: "The reality is it was two matches where I couldn't work against Bayern Munich, against Liverpool I could do my work." Mourinho will face Liverpool again in Europe's premier competition this season after the teams were drawn together in first group stage. He said: "I don't want revenge over Liverpool, there's no space in football for revenge." Meanwhile Mourinho indicated he was flattered to have his name put forward as a future England manager but ruled out the possibility. "It would be an honour to be mentioned because of the tradition of English football and what the national team means for this country. "But for me I don't think so. "In Sven-Goran Eriksson, they have a good manager and in the future I think the English national team should be for an English manager."

Mourinho calm despite empty seats
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he did not blame the fans who stayed away from their 1-0 Champions League win at home to Anderlecht on Tuesday. Only 29,575 turned up at Stamford Bridge but Mourinho said: "We have had two consecutive home matches and our supporters are not that rich. "The opera, the theatre, the football are all expensive, but our crowd were fantastic all night." The attendance was nearly 13,000 fewer than their capacity of 42,449. The cheapest ticket at Chelsea for the opening European match of the season was £35 and midfielder Frank Lampard is not surprised by the empty seats. "It's a lot to ask of people to keep spending money," said Lampard. "At this stage of the season you see a lot of grounds that are not always completely full. "Our stadium wasn't full but the fans that were here had a right go at getting behind us." Lampard scored the only goal of the game after just 19 minutes against the Belgian side, rifling home a free-kick from 20 yards to get the Blues off to a winning start.

Mourinho hits back at Cole claims
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho dismissed reports that England midfielder Joe Cole is unhappy at the club. Cole, 23, has started only two games this season but Mourinho insists he has heard no complaints from the player. He said: "Joe has always been very open with me. He came to see me several times last season. He was knocking on my door asking why he was not playing. "This season he's never come to see me. But if he comes I'll tell him seven matches we've played, he's played six." It was reported in the media this week that Cole believed his career was suffering from a lack of first team football. Mourinho rubbished the claims as "ridiculous" but added that Cole would have to wait until January if he really wants to quit Stamford Bridge. "If Joe wants to leave he will have to wait until January when the new transfer window opens. Players cannot just say they want to leave. But every player has his price. "If a player feels like this, he should have said so a month ago. Now the transfer window is closed."

Curbishley voices Chelsea concern
Charlton manager Alan Curbishley believes that Chelsea's financial power is a danger to British football. Curbishley, whose side faced Chelsea at The Valley on Saturday, told Sir Stanley that Roman Abramovich's money has put Chelsea in a dominant position. "I think it is a danger. You have got these great European sides, who have competed but they have competed with a bit of debt," said Curbishley. "Abramovich has come to Chelsea and from day one the rules have changed." Curbishley said it was good that Chelsea failed to lure Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard to Stamford Bridge in the summer. "Chelsea signing Scott Parker from Charlton or Manchester United signing Louis Saha from Fulham is one thing," he added. "When Chelsea go after Steven Gerrard and nearly get him, that's a little bit different. "For me, when it didn't happen I felt perhaps that was a good thing." Curbishley's fears were echoed by Charlton chief executive Peter Varney, who believes fans could turn away from football if one side dominates the game. "It's like Formula One. If you see someone like Michael Schumacher winning a race every time it can become a bit predictable," Varney told Five Live. "As with any sport, if there is a perception by the public that either one or a small number of clubs dominate, then that, in the long-term, will affect interest. "That is something - as a league going forward - we are going to have to address because predictability is going to be the enemy of all of us in the end." Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, has hit back at criticism of his side's performances so far this season. Mourinho, whose team have come under fire, despite not conceding a goal and scoring more than any other team, said they were not obliged to entertain. "Obligation is not a word in my footballing vocabulary," he stated. "In my vocabulary the words are: work, be professional, do your best, work with quality, commitment and enthusiasm and respect. That is what I promise. "I cannot promise I am going to win but with all those ingredients normally you succeed." Mourinho added: "Our style is the winning style and sometimes the winning style is to play very good quality attacking football - like we did a few times this season. "Sometimes it is to control the opponent but it is always to play with the weaknesses of the opponent and don't give them what they want me to give. "The team who are winning, why should that team give to the opponent what they want? I am very happy with the way my team is playing."

Charlton 0-2 Chelsea
Hernan Crespo and Arjen Robben scored the goals that maintained a 100% start to the season for Chelsea, who also set a record for Premiership clean sheets. Crespo hit the post with a low shot in the first half before breaking the deadlock in the 55th minute with a powerful header into the top corner. That was shortly after William Gallas had scrambled the ball against the upright as Chelsea dominated. Robben then sealed the victory with a superb shot into the top corner. The Dutchman's curled strike was an example of the sublime skill at Chelsea's disposal, allied to their combative and disciplined approach. And at the back, Chelsea showed their usual assurance, with Charlton mostly reduced to long-range efforts. Chelsea have now set a new English top-flight record of six successive clean sheets from the start of the season. Both sides had made their best starts to a Premiership season with 100% records, so something had to give. The outstanding Michael Essien had the first sight of goal, finding space on the edge of the box, but he scooped his shot high and wide. The midfielder later demonstrated greater accuracy in his passing, along with his tenacity, when he robbed Radostin Kishishev and played in Crespo. The Argentine striker raced through on goal but appeared a touch too nonchalant with his flicked strike and it cannoned back off the base of the post. Crespo had already tested Stephan Andersen by then and, later, Frank Lampard and Damien Duff also failed to find a way past the Charlton keeper. As the half wore on, Charlton - inspired by a determined Danny Murphy - began to create some chances of their own. Jerome Thomas, who was enjoying success down the left flank, shot wide - as did Dennis Rommedahl. But after the break, Chelsea stepped up the pace and Charlton looked overawed and overrun. Defender Gallas almost opened the scoring when he bundled the ball against the post. Then Lampard was denied by Andersen, who did well to smother the midfielder's deflected free-kick. The breakthrough finally came when Crespo headed into the top right-hand corner from Essien's cross. Five minutes later, Robben made sure of the points when he arrowed in a shot from the edge of the area. Substitute Shaun Wright-Phillips went close to scoring a third goal for Chelsea but saw his effort well saved by Andersen as Charlton desperately tried to avoid a humiliation. The teams had started the match first and second in the Premiership but the gulf in class, if not league positions, was very evident by the end of the afternoon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Charlton boss Alan Curbishley: "In the first half we acquitted ourselves quite well but did not get the goal. "And Chelsea have players on the pitch who can turn the game. They have a feeling about them when they score they are not going to lose. "Every Chelsea player is a World Cup player. They are hard to beat and the manager has them galvanised." Chelsea assistant coach Steve Clarke: "In the first half it was an even game. We asked the guys to step it up a bit and they did that. "In the second half we played higher up the pitch and we scored two quality goals to win the game. "When you are on top and in the ascendancy you have to kill the game and we did that." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Charlton: Andersen, Young, Perry, Hreidarsson, Powell (Spector 70), Rommedahl, Kishishev (Holland 67), Murphy, Hughes, Thomas (Ambrose 67), Bent. Subs Not Used: Bartlett, Myhre. Chelsea: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Gallas, Makelele, Duff (Wright-Phillips 63), Lampard, Essien, Robben (Joe Cole 79), Crespo (Drogba 67). Subs Not Used: Geremi, Cudicini. Booked: Ricardo Carvalho, Makelele. Goals: Crespo 55, Robben 60. Att: 27,111 Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).

Chelsea chasing defender Kompany
Chelsea's Champions League rivals Anderlecht have confirmed the Premiership champions are interested in their central defender Vincent Kompany. The 19-year-old was on Chelsea's wanted list in the summer but they ended up bolstering their left-back position by signing Asier del Horno instead. "Chelsea are interested and maybe a deal can be done," said Anderlecht managing director Herman van Holsbeeck. "I've advised Roman Abramovich to keep a special eye on him." The Belgian international was not in Anderlecht's squad for Tuesday's opening Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge, which Chelsea won 1-0.

Mourinho plays down England links
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has played down speculation that he could become manager of the England national team. Mourinho, 42, suggested in an interview with Time Out magazine that he could coach England, but only after the end of his five-year deal with Chelsea. But his spokesman said: "He is a passionate Portuguese citizen and has made it very clear that one day he'd like to manage the Portuguese team. "He also totally supports Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager." Time Out quoted Mourinho as saying: "It's true that part of me feels like an Englishman now. If I stay here for the next five years, the length of my contract, I will feel even more English. "If players spend that amount of time in another country they can change their passport and play for that country. "With six years of loving and living London and England, I will have something of England and the people in my heart so I could do (the job) in a professional way." But the Portuguese-born Blues boss also stated that he felt the job was best suited to an Englishman. "I still think it's really for an English person," he added. "At the moment the England job is for Sven, who is a top professional and who also does it with a bit of England in his heart."

Title race is wide open - Lampard
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard says the Premiership title race is not a foregone conclusion, despite the Blues' imperious start to the new campaign. Chelsea have won all six league games and not conceded a goal to open up a six-point lead at the top of the table. "I am sure the rest of the league is not giving up and it is definitely not cut and dried yet," said Lampard, 27. "It is too hard to say how close the league is going to be. It is so early to be talking about a points gap." Chelsea won 2-0 at Charlton on Saturday and Lampard believes it will be very hard for teams to catch Jose Mourinho's side if they keep up their current form. "We played very well at the weekend and when we do it is hard for teams to beat us because we have a lot of quality in the side," added Lampard. "But Charlton played well and gave us a very good game - there are a lot of good teams out there and no easy matches. "Every team just has to push themselves as far as they can go - it is about them raising their standard to the one we have set. "We know there are some tough games coming up and we must stay focused on the challenge. There is a long way to go but we must try and do what we did last year. "It's a different motivation but we are still motivated. We are very driven to retain the title - as much as we were last season to win it for the first time in 50 years." The Premiership has been criticised in recent weeks for losing some of its entertainment value, a claim Lampard is quick to deny. "I don't think the league is losing its edge at all, it will always have that excitement factor and that's the way it still is," he stated. "I have seen some really exciting games this season and we have played some exciting stuff at Chelsea too. "You want to win games first and foremost and excite the fans too but you have to remember that it is not always possible. "Of course we would take winning every game 1-0 - it would be incredible to win every single game in a season."

Blatter proposes Essien agent ban
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has suggested that Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien's agent, Fabien Piveteau, should be suspended. Piveteau is awaiting an appeal hearing for financial irregularities over a previous transfer involving Essien. "The French Football Federation could (suspend him)," Blatter told The Guardian newspaper. "They could suspend this agent until the moment when the (appeal) decision is finally taken." Piveteau is still a licensed agent with the FFF despite having been convicted in May of being an accessory to the diversion of funds during Essien's move from Bastia to Lyon in 2003. Piveteau received a two-year suspended sentence, against which he immediately appealed and is currently awaiting the outcome of the hearing. Christophe Drouvroy, the FFF's deputy legal director, said no action would be considered until the appeal had been concluded. "French law forbids that someone may hold a licence as a players' agent if he is definitely condemned; ipso facto, he would be stripped of his licence," he said. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Essien's part.

Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
Liverpool and Chelsea cancelled each other out in a Champions League stalemate at Anfield. Rafael Benitez's side enjoyed more possession, but Liverpool's Jose Reina was the busier goalkeeper. He saved well from Frank Lampard and Arjen Robben in the first half, while Liverpool were angry a succession of penalty appeals were rejected. Xabi Alonso tested Chelsea's Petr Cech with a long-range drive late on, but failed to break the deadlock. Liverpool played a more attacking formation than in recent times, drafting in Djibril Cisse to provide support for Peter Crouch up front. But it was a cagey first half containing few chances, with Liverpool taking the early initiative but Chelsea battling back as the interval approached. Liverpool keeper Reina needed to be alert, diving to his right to divert Lampard's free-kick before the England midfield man dragged a left-foot shot wide from a good position. The holders enjoyed plenty of possession but failed to open up the Chelsea rearguard, although they were unhappy appeals for a penalty were waved away when Sami Hyypia went down under challenge from Didier Drogba. Reina was in action again after 32 minutes as Robben embarrassed Hyypia for pace, diving acrobatically to turn a rising drive over the bar. Liverpool had further claims for a spot-kick waved away by Italian referee Massimo de Santis six minutes after the break when Luis Garcia appeared to be tugged by Paulo Ferreira, but contact was minimal. And there were similar appeals minutes later when William Gallas stopped Jamie Carragher's goalbound header with his hand, but the referee ruled it was accidental. Liverpool were dominating, and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho made a move to stem the tide after 64 minutes, sending on Shaun Wright-Phillips for the disappointing Robben. A mix-up between Carragher and Hyypia almost let in Damien Duff, but Reina came to the rescue. Chelsea then made another change, sending on Hernan Crespo - on the losing side for AC Milan against Liverpool in last season's final - for Duff. Xabi Alonso gave Petr Cech a rare moment of serious anxiety with seven minutes left, but his volley flew straight into the arms of the Chelsea keeper. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore, Hamann, Luis Garcia, Gerrard, Alonso, Crouch, Cisse (Sinama Pongolle 78). Subs Not Used: Carson, Riise, Josemi, Warnock, Zenden, Potter. Booked: Alonso. Chelsea: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Gallas, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Duff (Crespo 75), Drogba (Huth 90), Robben (Wright-Phillips 65). Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Joe Cole, Geremi, Gudjohnsen. b Makelele, Robben, Lampard, Terry. Att: 42,743 Ref: Massimo De Santis (Italy).

We scare Chelsea, claims Benitez
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez claims Chelsea are afraid of playing against the Europeans champions. The teams meet in the Premiership on Sunday, four days after Wednesday's 0-0 draw in the Champions League ended Chelsea's run of nine straight wins. "I am sure Chelsea do not like playing Liverpool. When they are talking and talking and talking before the game it means they are worried," he said. "Maybe they're afraid, I don't know. I hope it's the case after the weekend." Liverpool host the London side on Sunday lying 14 points behind Jose Mourinho's runaway early leaders. Mourinho says the Reds will be "finished" in the title race if the Londoners win at Anfield. But Benitez said his team is capable of getting the better of the champions. "We played better than them on Wednesday. They are at the top of the league with a squad maybe as good as anyone in the world and we played at the same level as them," he said. "We had control in midfield, defence and attack." Reds defender Jamie Carragher has also hit out at Chelsea's claims that Liverpool are just a long ball team. "There is no side more direct than Chelsea," he said. "We watched videos of Chelsea before the game and when we saw their match against Bayern Munich from last season's Champions League. "I couldn't remember seeing so many long balls in a match since I started watching football in the 80s."

Del Horno eyes trophy clean sweep
Defender Asier del Horno believes Chelsea can win every major competition they are involved in this season. That would mean retaining their Premiership title, winning the Champions League and lifting both the FA Cup and Carling Cup. Del Horno said: "I think it's possible. We're a team of winners and have an amazing manager who's a winner too. "I want to go the whole season unbeaten. This team is ready to make history by winning everything." The Blues have started this term in excellent form, conceding only two goals so far. Del Horno believes the key to Chelsea's stubborn defence lies in the hard work ethic installed in the whole team. He said: "It feels great to be part of this defence but the basis of our success is how the whole team defends. "Our last line is very solid with players like John Terry and William Gallas, but we owe a lot to the players in front of us."

Duff facing knee injury lay-off
Chelsea winger Damien Duff could be out for around three weeks if it is confirmed he needs surgery on a knee injury sustained on international duty. The 26-year-old will definitely miss the Republic of Ireland's vital World Cup qualifier with Switzerland after limping off against Cyprus on Saturday. "He does need some type of surgery," his agent told the Evening Standard. "I don't think it will be anything too major, but as far as I'm aware, he will be out for two to three weeks." If he is ruled out until the start of next month, Duff will miss Premiership games against Bolton, Everton and Blackburn, as well as the Champions League clash with Real Betis and Carling Cup tie against Charlton. On the plus side for Chelsea, full-back Wayne Bridge continued his recovery from a broken ankle when he played 65 minutes for the reserves against West Ham on Monday night.

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