YOU’LL NEVER BEAT BITTER BRIDGE BOO BOYS, RAFA
dodge questions about transfers but struggled to bite his tongue.
These are difficult times at Stamford Bridge because the mood would be good at most other clubs, as they are into the fifth round, are still set to reach the top four and into the last-16 of the Champions League.
It is hardly crisis time and yet the club’s managerial revolving door policy inevitably ends up with every trophy being followed by a season of discontent.
Last year’s title is forgotten and replaced by Conte’s ugly soap opera.
The Blues began with a near-full- strength line-up – Thibaut Courtois and Alvaro Morata were both injured – and they clearly want to win the FA Cup, but you feel it would be Conte’s parting gift to the club.
Newcastle started well, were fired up, and Rafa Benitez, the arch tactician, set up with a back five, midfield diamond and a determination not to get beaten.
Chelsea struggled to break them down (Gary Cahill collides with N’golo Kante and Isaac Hayden, left), but the turning point came after 31 minutes, when Pedro’s sublime pass from midfield cut the Toon defence wide open. Eden Hazard found Marcos Alonso, who set up Batshuayi. It was close range, not even Batshuyai with his lack of confidence could miss an open goal from there and, sure enough, he steered into the empty net.
Chelsea keeper Willy Caballero made a couple of excellent saves as he defied Jonjo Shelvey and Dwight Gayle, and Newcastle did not give up even after going behind.
But a minute before half time. Henri Saivet was caught in possession, Pedro and Hazard combined again and this time Batshuyai hit a shot, which was deflected off Jamaal Lascelles and over keeper Karl Darlow.
If Benitez keeps up a squad of largely Championship players he will have done brilliantly, but it is now approaching 50 years since Newcastle won the Inter City Fairs Cup in 1969. There is no end in sight.
Benitez is just as political as Conte with some of his coded messages about transfers and signings. But Newcastle are woefully short of quality.
Chelsea’s third came after 72 minutes after Davide Zappacosta was fouled, Alonso stepped up and curled a stunning 25-yard free-kick into the top corner.
Alonso has been one of the Blues’ best performers all season, which makes it all the more bizarre they are trying to sign Roma’s Brazilian left-back Emerson Palmieri.
Left-back is the one position they do not need to strengthen. But that, in a nutshell, is Chelsea’s transfer policy – and probably why Conte is so frustrated. HE could have been humped 10-0, and it wouldn’t have mattered to the Toon Army.
As far as they are concerned there is only one man responsible for the club currently treading water – Mike Ashley.
Rafa Benitez (below) is a manager who plays politics better than any other in the Premier League.
He has already fought and won his Newcastle battles in the court of public opinion.
In the eyes of the Magpies fans he is bombproof.
That is not to say that he is complacent. But give him the right tools – as Chelsea fans know – and he can do the business.
The Blues celebrated Europa League success under the Spaniard.
The booing that Benitez’s name received here was surprising under the circumstances.
He restored stability to a club threatening to lose