Soccer/FA Cup Fifth round Newcastle 1 Chelsea 0: The fates got their own back on Jose Mourinho. This manager of destiny was so bombarded with problems that even he ran short of solutions.
Chelsea's hope of a quadruple vanished in the FA Cup tie and several players may have been plucked from them as they prepare for Wednesday's Champions League game in Barcelona. Wayne Bridge, in particular, is believed to have a broken ankle.
Chelsea came to so much harm at St James' Park that the merits of a tight-knit Newcastle United may wrongly be overlooked. There was a ghoulish drama to swamp normal events. Mourinho, with his team 1-0 down, employed all three substitutions at the start of the second half, but, within two minutes, Bridge was injured by a legitimate challenge from Alan Shearer. The left-back was borne away on a stretcher and Chelsea had to make do with 10 men.
Damien Duff, one of the players introduced at half-time, stayed on the field only because the visitors needed to maintain their numbers. He was hurt while making a desperate tackle when compatriot Stephen Carr looked ready to score in the 73rd minute, and the Dubliner was afterwards reduced to half-pace by a knee problem. He thinks, though, that he can recover quickly.
William Gallas was also in difficulties before the end with a muscle strain.
There was one further casualty, but his is a personal misery. Carlo Cudicini would have been chosen for Sunday's League Cup final with Liverpool had he not been dismissed here for bringing down the substitute, Shola Ameobi, just outside the penalty area. Chelsea will be happy to have their first-choice goalkeeper, Petr Cech, between the posts at the Millennium Stadium.
Little else comforted Mourinho at St James' Park, but he is not a man for half-measures or regrets. "My life is a risk," the manager said, standing by his decision to commit all his substitutes simultaneously. This time, the force was not with him.
Chelsea competed proudly when outnumbered, but Newcastle manager Graeme Souness was right to state that his goalkeeper Shay Given had little to do. The loss of Arjen Robben was a blow to Mourinho and his team have scored only once in 355 minutes since the Dutchman left the pitch at Blackburn Rovers.
Only a handicap could check Chelsea's gallop through the fixture list and now there is a weight in the saddle bags that could bring the side to their knees.
Newcastle might have applied serious stress even in normal circumstances. Some managers dream of routs, but Souness, as he had suggested in his programme notes, pines after 1-0 victories. This was the first occasion since he came to St James' Park that his side have won through by the single goal of the game against Premiership opposition.
"We became a bit nervous after we scored because we're not used to holding a 1-0 lead," Souness said in a merrily indulgent tone afterwards. He credited half his happiness to the success of his former club Rangers in the Old Firm derby, but, no matter what factors came to his aid, it is the defeat of Chelsea that will benefit the manager most.
Mourinho's side were beaten at Manchester City and also lost to Porto in the Champions League, but this was the first game to do irrevocable damage to Chelsea this season. When there is so much scepticism and budding dissent in the St James' Park crowd, a result like this provides the endorsement Souness needs so badly.
His judgment was vindicated in one particular area. Souness did not allow his faith in Titus Bramble to be sapped by the centre-half's miserable display in Thursday's UEFA Cup-tie. "Titus had a stinker in Heerenveen," said the manager. "He knew it but he had been arguably our best player in the previous six games. He's got everything. He's big, he's powerful, he can pass it and he's got pace."
Souness was confident enough in the defender even to visualise a future for him in the England team. With Bramble so commanding, only Newcastle had a centre-forward who will treasure the tie.
With four minutes gone, the influential Nicky Butt played the ball to the left and Laurent Robert flighted the searching cross that saw Patrick Kluivert getting the better of Gallas to score with a strong header.
There were only two occasions when Chelsea suggested they would equalise. Jiri Jarosik hit a well-directed drive that Given put behind for a corner-kick in the 34th minute, but the side had come closer still nine minutes earlier. Tiago's cross was deflected and Mateja Kezman applied an artful touch that lifted the ball over the goalkeeper. It then clipped the underside of the bar and declined to bounce over the line.
The Serb's misfortune is becoming famous, but he went on to play very poorly here, and when possession came to him the threat to Newcastle was blunted.
In a period where Chelsea's long injury list includes Didier Drogba, Kezman's struggles are far more than a private woe. Mourinho, too, will be dismayed.
Guardian Service
