Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Chelsea-Reading Preview

LONDON (AP) — Apart from setting a new top-flight record for consecutive home Premier League games without defeat, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was delighted with the performances of his newcomers in the 3-2 victory over Birmingham on Saturday.

He was particularly encouraged by the ease with which French international Florent Malouda settled in and also singled out fellow winger Shaun Wright-Phillips for praise.

"The wingers produced incredible football, the strikers played with great dynamic and we played good attacking football," Mourinho said. "I always thought we would score goals, I don't like to concede goals but Birmingham played well."

Victory, however, was soured by a knee injury to Michael Essien which forced him off only a few minutes after his winning goal and makes him a doubtful starter against Reading at the Madejski Stadium on Wednesday night.

"It was something in the knee ligament," Mourinho said. "He was in pain and I had two midfielders on the bench, so I made the change immediately.


"If you asked me, I don't know if he'll be fit for Wednesday against Reading."

Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko is continuing to struggle with his back problem - he will not train tomorrow and looks almost certain to miss the visit to the Royals.

With Didier Drogba unlikely to play a full 90 minutes, it means that Peruvian forward Claudio Pizarro, who like fellow debutant Malouda found the net on Saturday at Stamford Bridge, may well start again.

Meanwhile, Reading, facing the second leg of perhaps the most searching two-match examination any side can undergo at the start of a Premier League season, are still smarting at the sending off of Dave Kitson just 37 seconds after coming on as a substitute in the scoreless draw with champions Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.

After one of swiftest dismissals in Premier League history for a badly-timed lunge at Patrice Evra, Reading manager Steve Coppell feels that referee Rob Styles was perhaps a little harsh.

"I have looked at it again and his foot probably was a little bit high," said Coppell. "The difference between a malicious, red-card challenge and a very good challenge is a milli-second. Possibly he deserved to be sent off, but Dave is not a dangerous player."

Kitson was equally incredulous, saying, "I can't believe it was a straight red card and I'd implore Rob Styles to have a second look at it. I know I caught him 1/8Evra 3/8, I was trying so desperately to stop him clearing the ball up the pitch - sometimes you?re successful and sometimes you miss."

Although his conservative game-plan, aimed at avoiding the trouncing Fulham suffered at Old Trafford on the opening day of last season, worked to perfection, Coppell was upset at the reaction afterwards.

"After watching the guys on TV, I almost feel like I have to apologise," he said. "It does bother me because I want people to think we are more than just a defensive side.

"But your season-long dreams can be shattered very quickly here. I would have loved to have gone 4-4-2 and seen what happened but we would have got hammered."



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