Back four need help!
Ivanovic deflects blame
BRANISLAV Ivanovic carefull y considered the question. After five games, three defeats and 12 goals conceded, what is wrong with Chelsea’s defence?
‘I say one thing and this is true,’ Ivanovic began. ‘We were one of the best defensive lines in the last couple of years but this is a team. Not just the back four, also the players in front. As a team, we played very well (last season) and because of that we got the results.
‘We have to get back to this form quickly. We have to defend as a small team and try to win the games on our defence. It is very difficult, especially now, when you see that we are not in our top form. I hope we will change it soon. We are getting punished for all our mistakes.’
The message was cl ear: though the numbers are damning for the back four, Ivanovic was in no mood to have the blame placed squarely on their shoulders.
And he is right. It’s easy to say Chelsea are being so easily breached because John Terry is ageing and Ivanovic is out of f orm and they are missing Thibaut Courtois.
But those who point to Terry being a shadow of his former self at 34 should consider the f l awless performance that Gareth Barry — the same age as the former England captain — produced to propel Everton towards victory.
Making Ivanovic, a sentry of this back four for almost a decade, the scapegoat means no consideration is given to the dreadful contribution of John Obi Mikel, the anonymity of Cesc Fabregas or the brooding, ineffective petulance of Diego Costa.
This is a team wretchedly out of form. Eden Hazard flitted in and out, Cesar Azpilicueta was run ragged by Seamus Coleman, while Pedro found the intensity at Goodison Park a culture shock compared to what he was used to with Barcelona.
Everton may have had a sticky 20 minutes after Nemanja Matic gave Chelsea hope with a fabulous left-footed drive but, in the main, they swarmed all over Jose Mourinho’s side, exposing their failings and shattering their aura of invincibility with three Steven Naismith goals.
‘All you can do is work hard, get back on the winning way,’ said Ivanovic, who believes the switch to t he Champions League this week could not be better timed. ‘One big win and things will change for Chelsea.’
Roberto Martinez — who was sworn at by Mourinho — could have turned the screw but instead praised his own side.
‘It’s very unfair to say that Chelsea were poor,’ Martinez argued. ‘We were very clinical and scoring goals in games makes a big difference. All of a sudden you take control of that presence and superiority.’
Presence and superiority. At the moment, whether it is in defence, midfield or attack, Chelsea have neither. Mourinho needs them to get it back. Fast. SUPER STAT: The last Everton player to score a hat-trick against Chelsea was Dixie Dean in 1931. EVERTON (4-3-3): Howard 7; Coleman 7 (Funes Mori 77min), Stones 8, Jagielka 8.5, Galloway 7; Besic (Naismith 8, 9), Barry 8, McCarthy 8; Kone 7 (Lennon 72, 6), Lukaku 7.5, Barkley 7.5. Subs not used: Robles, Mirallas, Deulofeu, Osman. Scorer: Naismith 17, 22, 82. Booked: Stones, Galloway. CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Begovic 7; Ivanovic 5, Zouma 5, Terry 5, Azpilicueta 5; Mikel 4 (Kenedy 54, 4), Matic 8; Pedro 5 (Falcao 70, 5), Fabregas 4 (Willian 74, 4), Hazard 5; Costa 4. Subs not used: Blackman, Remy, Cahill, Loftus-Cheek. Scorer: Matic 36. Booked: Azpilicueta, Costa. Man of the match: Steven Naismith. Referee: Andre Marriner 7.
JOSE MOURINHO and Roberto Martinez were involved in a furious bust-up as the under- pressure Chelsea manager’s frustrations boiled over.
The i ncident, which ended with Mourinho swearing at Martinez, took place on a concourse in Goodison Park after Everton had extended Chelsea’s dreadful start to the campaign by beating them 3-1.
Martinez had just given a routine press conference and was standing outside Goodison’s media room, speaking to the media, when a visibly irate Mourinho stormed into view.
Mourinho had been advised by a steward to walk down the touchline and up a set of stairs so he could give his own press conference but ignored what he was told and made a beeline for Martinez.
At first, Martinez was oblivious to what was happening until Mourinho, anxious to board Chelsea’s