FOR A MANAGER WHO THRIVES ON meticulous planning, there was far too much chaos yesterday. José Mourinho could stomach defeat in the FA Cup fifth round — his selection of a weakened team said as much — but there was mayhem in the driving snow at St James’ Park that he must hope did not pursue him on last night’s flight to Barcelona.
Chelsea finished with nine men, including Glen Johnson in goal, and it might as well have been eight, given the injury to Damien Duff. Misfortune played its part, particularly in the bad break suffered by Wayne Bridge in the 47th minute, but Mourinho had invited trouble by making three half-time substitutions.
The Portuguese’s boldness is one of the traits that has made him such a welcome and refreshing addition to the English game, but he must know that his triple change backfired. First Bridge departed to hospital, with a suspected broken ankle. His manager would only confirm that “for sure it is something big”.
Duff’s knee injury was a direct consequence, because it was covering for the full back that he injured himself in a collision with Carlo Cudicini. The Ireland winger limped on to the plane last night, but should he miss Wednesday’s European Cup tie in the Nou Camp, the impact would be massive given Arjen Robben’s absence with a broken foot.
William Gallas also departed from Tyneside with a sore groin and was declared a doubt for Barcelona. “I am not going to cry over injuries,” Mourinho said, but he had picked a weakened starting XI precisely so that he would not have to take a sackful of worries to Catalunya. It was only Chelsea’s third loss under their Portuguese manager — after Manchester City in the Premiership and FC Porto in the European Cup — but it still seemed a very un-Mourinho like defeat.
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The disorder was compounded when Cudicini was dismissed in the five minutes added on for stoppages for felling Shola Ameobi just outside the penalty area. Johnson borrowed the goalkeeper’s shirt and gloves, presumably sent between the posts because of his erratic play in defence. He blocked a fizzing Laurent Robert free kick and, seconds later, St James’ Park erupted in celebration at the final whistle.
Newcastle were through to the quarter-finals, their quest for a first trophy in 36 years surviving an anxious second half, while Chelsea’s hunt for four in one season will have to wait for another campaign. “There is no time for dramas,” Mourinho said, “especially when you are in a fantastic position to win what is most important for us — the Premiership.
Newcastle had begun brightly enough, buoyed by a goal after only four minutes when the ball was fed wide to Laurent Robert. The winger picked out Patrick Kluivert, who soared above Gallas to head past Cudicini.
Tyneside’s mounting despair at the Graeme Souness regime eased for the next 20 minutes, until Mateja Kezman met Tiago’s deflected cross and glanced the ball past Shay Given. To the striker’s despair, the ball bounced down from the underside of the crossbar and away from goal. “The boy is really, really unlucky,” Mourinho said. On most of this season’s evidence, that is a kind analysis.
Kezman, rather than Joe Cole, should have made way at the interval, when Mourinho threw on Duff, Frank Lampard and Eidur Gudjohnsen. Newcastle had already begun to retreat and even when Bridge departed on a stretcher after a seemingly harmless challenge by Alan Shearer to make it ten against 11, Souness’s players reverted to bad habits.
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Kluivert and Kieron Dyer disappeared and Newcastle’s midfield suddenly looked desperately ordinary compared with the running and touches of Lampard. Nicky Butt could claim rustiness. The big disappointment was Jermaine Jenas, a bright young talent who does not appear to be progressing. Still, Newcastle could temporarily forget their troubles. Titus Bramble had one of his less jittery afternoons, while Stephen Carr was unlucky not to be declared man of the match. A home draw against anyone other than Manchester United in the next round would allow Shearer, who came off early with a tight hamstring, to dream of retiring in Cardiff.
For Chelsea, it was off to Barcelona with Mourinho admitting that it was “a big risk” to make three substitutions at half-time, but he was touchy when it was suggested that he might have regrets. “Of course,” he said with a sneer, “I am responsible for the defeats and not for the victories. You can have your headline. Mourinho is guilty.”
The Portuguese wished Newcastle luck as they attempt to win the game’s oldest knockout competition for the first time since 1955. He has bigger prizes to chase.