Sob Stories

One on Lampard:

Family struck by tragedy pay warm tribute to Lampard
By Peter Lansley

FRANK LAMPARD has won many awards this season and as he attends to the toe injury that has precluded his participation in England's tour to the United States this week, his recuperation may be aided by a glance at his Barclays Premiership champion's medal or the Footballer of the Year award he received last week from the Football Writers' Association (FWA). But whatever he goes on to win, there will be few tributes quite like the thanks offered last night by the mother of a brave girl from Kent who died of a brain tumour a fortnight ago.
Lucy, aged 10, struck up a rapport with the Chelsea midfield star, touching a chord through her courage in the face of the greatest adversity. Lampard, soon to become a father himself, arranged for her to be a match-day mascot, dedicated one of his title-clinching goals to her and ensured that she could be a guest of honour at Stamford Bridge on the day Chelsea were presented with the Premiership trophy. She died three days later.



"He brought so much joy to Lucy's life and just the mention of his name brought a huge smile to her face," Nicola, her mother, said. "He was really impressed by Lucy's spirit and he gave her so much. Nothing was too much trouble. You hear so much these days about footballers getting into trouble, but Frank, John Terry and the rest couldn't have been more supportive or caring."

The morning after his house had been burgled last week, Lampard made a round trip of 200 miles to attend Lucy's funeral. That night he was back in London to receive the FWA award and, after offering his thanks to the family, friends and coaches who had supported him, he signed off by dedicating his award to Lucy.

"I would just like to talk about a girl called Lucy," he told the audience. "She came to the game against Charlton when we lifted the Premiership trophy. She had a tumour on the brain, but she was so desperate to come and see that game. The character and strength she showed made me put everything in perspective. I would like to dedicate this whole award to her, her family, especially her mother."

Lucy had an inoperable brain-stem tumour diagnosed in August after tests for blurred vision and slurred speech. After six weeks of radiotherapy, her mother and friends wrote to the champions-elect asking if Lucy could have lunch with Lampard and Lucy was thrilled to be invited to Chelsea's training ground in Cobham, Surrey, where she first met him and the squad in January.

"She had a fantastic time with Frank and John Terry," Nicola, 32, who has two other daughters Rosie, 13, and Millie, 8 said. "He is a wonderful, caring person. It's wonderful he'll soon be a dad himself. I immediately saw how kind they were and I said to Frank that he was very good with kids. You could tell he was so genuine. There's a real family atmosphere about Chelsea and everyone involved in the club. They all seem to be united."

Lampard organised for Lucy to be at the Carling Cup semi- final first leg against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge and gave her a Chelsea shirt bearing his No 8, a hat and scarf. They exchanged text messages and he kept a pledge to dedicate a goal to her when he mouthed the words "That's for you, Lucy" as he sealed Chelsea's title triumph by scoring two goals away to Bolton Wanderers.

As her condition deteriorated, he invited her on to the pitch for the celebrations when Chelsea were crowned champions after the game against Charlton Athletic. "Everyone was celebrating, but he still made the effort to find Lucy," Nicola said. "He cuddled her and she gave him a kiss on the cheek. Afterwards, he sat with her in the lounge for ages.

"He is a credit to his profession and his parents. Seeing Lucy happy made us all happy and we can never thank Frank and everyone at Chelsea enough. They all helped make her final days so special and memorable."


Lucy's family would like to thank the charity CLIC Sargent for its support during her illness. To make a donation, go to www.clicsargent.org.uk

During her final days, Lucy wrote a poem dedicated to her hero:

Frank Lampard is the best
He wears the Chelsea vest
He's lucky No 8
And he is my best mate
He is so kind and funny
And I've heard he earns
lots of money
I like to see Frank
whenever
And I hope we stay friends
for ever


And an anecdote about Terry:

about four years ago went to the training ground and there was a kid in a West Ham kit waiting with all the Chelsea kids for autographs - turns out that he only wanted GLS's autograph as he was our only England player at the time and he was trying to get the whole England squads signiture on a shirt that was going to be his gift to the school to raise money for a fellow student who had been in a car accident and could no longer walk and needed a wheel chair.

GLS drove straight through all the autograph hunters without stopping after having got one of the stewards to clear the way for him. Said kid burst into tears. JT was next out and found out what had happened - he spoke to the kid - took the shirt and promised to get it signed - he also then said he would visit the kid who had been in an accident and agreed to do the prize giving at the kids sports day

Mourinho offers glimpse behind Chelsea curtain
By Christopher Davies (Filed: 19/05/2005)

Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, writes a report for owner Roman Abramovich each week outlining the reasons behind his team selection, tactics and substitutions.

In a BBC1 interview with Gary Lineker, entitled Jose Mourinho - The Special One, to be broadcast on Monday at 10.35pm, the Portuguese revealed his relationship with the billionaire Russian includes detailing all team matters.

Mourinho said that before he met Abramovich last summer after leaving FC Porto, chief executive Peter Kenyon and director Eugene Tenenbaum told him how the owner wanted to operate. "He [Abramovich] wanted the best for the club," Mourinho said. "So did I. He wanted to know the club life. I have to tell him because he's the owner. He has to know everything and from that point I told him he will know why every decision was made.

"Why I did not play this one and I played the other one, why do you want Paulo [Ferreira] to be your right back? Why do you want Ricardo Carvalho to be your central defender?

"I have to explain - more than explain. I have to give a written report where they can understand and I can commit myself with that responsibility."

Mourinho stressed this was because Abramovich loved Chelsea and football.

"The relationship is fantastic. We meet every week. Peter Kenyon is the man for everyday matters. Eugene Tenenbaum is the big link because he is with the boss all the time. We speak about the future, we speak about the present and for me what is amazing is his

[Abramovich's] passion for football and for the club. He understands football, he loves football, he eats football. He will see me on Monday and ask if I saw Barcelona-Sevilla, Lyons-Monaco or Roma-Inter. He likes to be surrounded by football people because he loves the game, so I think it's fantastic to speak with him, to explain things to him and to share my ideas and my thoughts."

Abramovich has shunned the media, some say because his English is not at the standard he would want. But Mourinho said he and the owner could communicate on an emotional level.

"I don't understand the language but I understand emotion," Mourinho told Lineker. "So when he needs to explain something in Russian I get the emotion before Eugene Tenenbaum or other friends translate."

Mourinho is adamant that Abramovich will be at Stamford Bridge for the foreseeable future. "He is so much in love with the club. He's not a person to sell the club in a few years [and] go away. He's completely committed and that's good."

The manager defended the buy-buy-buy policy that has underpinned Chelsea's Carling Cup and Premiership triumphs this season. "If I am in Chelsea for 10 years like Arsene Wenger with Arsenal, in my 10th year I won't have to spend so much money, because by then we will have built an academy and a scouting network. It's not fair when people speak about Chelsea's amount of money, but I cannot be a hypocrite because it is easier to work with a person of his economic power where you can say 'I'd love to have this player'."

Mourinho also told Lineker that his "special one", super-confident image was not the real him. "Sometimes I feel I need to be like that to play a little bit with emotions. I can be speaking with you but I know that my players are watching, players from other teams are also watching ... "

"It's a bit of an act, then?" asked Lineker.

"Yes, it's a bit of an act. I think you have to act a little bit and to show sometimes a different face. I am not bad at it. I'm not the 'special one'. I was under pressure when I arrived as a European champion and I thought I wasn't respected.

The press put 50 difficult questions to me - can you succeed, are you ready for this and are you ready for that? I said, 'what you want is this - I'm the special one', and you never forget it."

Mourinho will be cheering for Manchester United in the FA Cup final because the Portuguese link at Old Trafford - assistant manager Carlos Queiroz and winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

"I also have a strong relationship with Sir Alex [Ferguson]," he said. "I think a man like him deserves silverware year after year."

Newcastle United 1-1 Chelsea

No changes from last game, except that Johnson is in for Gallas at left-back. Four youngsters on the bench - no sign of Drogba, Kezman or Forssell.

Newky take the lead through a Bramble poke-in from a corner. Minutes later we equalise as Baba, of all people, drags Guddy back in the box. Lampard converts it.

Ok, so we've done the defensive record. Barely paid attention to the game though, the four-way relegations struggle being far more exciting. West Brom stay up after they beat Portsmouth and Palace let 10-man Charlton equalise. In the race to the last UEFA Cup spot, Boro are drawing 1-1 with Man City when Man City get awarded a penalty that could send them into Europe. Schwarzer saves from Fowler. Hilarious.

Record of Records

1. Manchester United's record of fewest points dropped in a Premiership term - 23. Chelsea have dropped only 17 so far.

2. Arsenal's record of fewest goals conceded in a Premiership season of 17 and Liverpool's post-war top flight record of 16. They've only shipped 14 so far.

3.Should Chelsea keep a clean sheet that will break the all-time top flight defensive record. Preston conceded 15 goals in the very first season in 1888/1889 when only 22 matches were played.

4.Manchester United's record of most wins ever in a Premiership season of 28. They could end with 30.

5.Manchester United's record of most ever points in a Premier League season of 92. They could finish with 97.

6.Manchester United's record of 24 clean sheets in a Premiership term. One more block out against Newcastle would make 26.

7.Peter Schmeichel's record for Manchester United of 694 minutes without conceding a goal, beaten by Petr Cech, who extended it to 1,024 minutes and thus broke Arsenal's Premiership record of 823 minutes without conceding a goal.

8. The English top flight record of eight successive away victories. Another win here would take their current tally to 10. (in one season)

9. Victory would equal the all-time record spanning two seasons of 10 successive victories on the road in the top division, held by Tottenham Hotspur and set during the 1959/1960 and 1960/1961 seasons

Chelsea's own club record of the longest unbeaten sequence of 27 matches. It would be extended to 29 if defeat is avoided here.

10. So far equal points record with Arsenal for away games in season 47 points (arse last season)

Manchester United 1-3 Chelsea

Manure players form a guard-of-honour for the champions. Nice.

Expected to see more reserves, but only one change from Charlton game: Huth in for JT. Manure score early with a RVN tap-in that had a suspicion of offside to it. We're bossing midfield, though, and Tiago equalises with a long-range corker.

The wonders of technology. Due to an attack of diarrhoea, I am now watching the match in the Reg's spacious single-user bathroom.

Moment of inalertness by Carvallho to let RVN seemingly through on goal, but he redeems himself with a perfectly timed last-ditch tackle.

Cole with a curving shot just past Carroll's left post.

Chelsea Chat's indefatigable Perillo on Tiago's goal:

Mourinho's face was a picture. No celebration. Just a puffing out of the cheks as if to say "Fark me" and then applause. An incredible goal.

Ronaldo dives under a Geremi challenge at one end, but up goes the ball right to the other end from an excellent one-touch pass from Tiago that sends Eidur through on goal. Lifted over Carroll, and 2-1 it is.

3-1. Cole tap-in from an offside position. Looks like we've beaten the points record now, and at the mighty Theatre of Dreams too.

Ex-scouser Alan Green on Ferdinand's attempted interception of Tiago's pass for Eidur's goal:

Ferdinand thinks he's a much better player than he actually is.

Tribute to Makalele

Totally agree. Makalele has been more important than Terry.

Smallest book in the world
Phil Ball at Soccernet

There used to be a rather daft series of jokes hanging around when I was a youth, entitled 'The Smallest Book in the World'.

There remain a few standard classics to the series, like 'The Book of Interesting Tories', 'The Book of Grimsby's Renaissance Buildings' or 'The Book of Long-Lasting Bolivian Presidents' and some rather more offensive ones that can no longer see the light of day in the post-modern world of political correction.

However, a new one was added to the football-related list yesterday, namely the 'The Book of Claude Makelele penalties'. This new addition swells the list of classics which also contains such tomes as 'The Mourinho Book of Modesty' and the 'The Craig Bellamy Book of Self-Awareness', but let's not get carried away here.

It was interesting, nay downright surreal to see the tiny French midfielder scoring from the spot against Charlton, and equally touching to see him mobbed by his team-mates once he'd sliced in the rebound with his left foot. Makelele doesn't do goals. They're not his thing. He hadn't actually scored one since 1999, when he was playing in Spain for Celta Vigo.

He once got carried away in the 1996-97 season when playing for Nantes, scoring five goals, but he has since seen the error of his ways.

Of course, there are plenty of folks around who date Real Madrid's decline from the departure of young Claude, and this column would not disagree.

Florentino Pérez once seemed a man of sense and equanimity, until faced with the issue of the midfielder at the beginning of his third year in office.

Makka, feeling a little light of wallet compared to several of his team-mates, went on strike during the Beckham summer in an attempt to bring his wages into more of a galactic line, and was shipped off to London for his pains. Pérez, in a subsequent press-conference, came out from behind his specs for the first time in his presidency, and revealed himself to be rather less sagacious than he looked.

'Isn't it a bit of a risk, transferring Makelele?' asked one journalist. 'Not at all' replied the master tactician-president. 'We've just transferred a player who can only pass the ball four yards and bought another [Beckham] who can pass it forty'. It was at that precise moment that you knew Pérez had lost the plot.

But it also makes one reflect on the way that the media views football, and even the players themselves. It was fantastic to see Chelsea's players mobbing Makelele, but the truth is that players like him will never win the seasonal awards.

No disrespect to John Terry, who is indeed a fine centre-back - but it is interesting to note that he has only really been considered as such since the arrival of Makelele. The same has happened in reverse at Madrid.

Where once the pairing of Ivan Helguera and Fernando Hierro was seen as the match made in defensive heaven, it was clear that once the Makelele protective shield was taken away, Helguera would be exposed for the rather leaden-footed ordinary guy that he is.

Hierro decided not to hang around, and wandered off to the rather less demanding environments of Qatar and Bolton to ply his trade, whilst poor young Pavón was shoved up out of the trenches to be mercilessly exposed to the enemy fire.

Makelele is the black Nobby Stiles, the best player in the world in his position. Terry is ok, but he would never have won the award without the ball-winner in front of him. Frank Lampard's emergence has also suspiciously coincided with the freedom that the ex-Madrid player has afforded him.

I think it would have been great for a destroyer to have finally won the recognition he deserves, which would have shown an appreciation of the wider aspects of football. It's rare enough for a centre-half to get the PFA Player of the Year, but a defensive midfielder? One day maybe, in a more enlightened age.

Makelele is a brilliant example of self-discipline, of private sacrifice to the cause. Not only that, but he's the supreme example of how less can be more - of how the four-yard pass can be more effective than the forty-yard version, for example.

Real Madrid have realised too late, and bought Gravesen - I was going to say a pale imitation of Makelele but perhaps I'd better rephrase that. Actually Gravesen's pretty good, and the team have definitely improved since his arrival - but too late was the cry.

Chelsea 1-0 Charlton

Toned down match, as you'd expect. Carlo got a start, then was taken off in the 80th minute for Pidgely so that he could get a hero's send-off, as he deserves. Cole and Terry both hit the woodwork, a few other missed chances, many by Cole. Then on the stroke of the 90th minute, Lampard had his foot caught right on the edge of the box. Harsh to give a penalty, but it was given. By popular demand Maka took the penalty. It was terrible and easily saved by Andersen, but he buried the follow-up and was mobbed by everyone including the bench and a few who weren't in the squad. As an ESPN pundit said, that was probably the most popular lousy penalty that was ever scored.

On track, then, to beat Manure's record of 92 points.

Trophy presentation. As expected, even players like Parker, Carlo, Morais and Pidgeley, who did not play enough games to get a medal, are honoured.

I'd be astonished if the rumour that Jose did predict, way back, that we would win the league at Bolton was true. But he is nothing if not an astonishment.

Liverpool 1-0 Chelsea (CL semifinal 2nd leg)

Left my gloves in the classroom, realised it just outside the building, but didn't want to go back for it and miss the start of the match. And what I get in return is a sloppy goal conceded and a piss poor first half. Same old Chelsea? Or the Chelsea that beat Arse 2-1 in last year's semifinal? The former, I'm afraid, unless Mourinho drastically changes the tactics. Drogba was appalling (worse than Gronkjaer, as some chatters say, which is the ultimate put-down from Chelsea fans), everyone except Makalele mediocre. Carvallho at fault for their goal, Cech lucky not to get sent off. Ball may or may not have crossed the line, but it would've been a penalty anyway if it wasn't a goal.

Much better second half, which doesn't say a lot, still meant only one shot on target the whole match. Drogba misses free header, Guddy shaves post in last minute of injury time. Mourinho brings on Kezman instead of Forssell, to fans' frustration. Even Huth was thrown up front in the end. Frustrating but still nothing compared to the gutting exits of previous campaigns. Nice that I'm not dependent on them anymore for the will to live.

Chatters report that JT and Gallas cried.

Money matters but Mourinho is more than that

Gordon Strachan
Monday May 2, 2005
The Guardian

I haven't always liked the way Jose Mourinho has behaved off the pitch but that doesn't stop me admiring what he has achieved. You look at his record with Porto and now his first year at Chelsea and you have to say he's got "it".

You can't define exactly what that "it" is but you can go to as many coaching courses as you want and not get it. Most of us can get the Uefa badge and learn the basics of football but then it's about how you handle players and make decisions.

Plenty of coaches know in theory what tactics are needed at different times but not everyone has the guts to make changes before or during games. Mourinho has shown he makes good decisions at the right times.

I'm not just talking about substitutions. He decided at the beginning of the season that he was not going to lose games and managed that. Then when Arjen Robben was fit he decided to play 4-3-3 to accommodate both him and Damien Duff and it worked.

He decided against Bayern Munich to go direct and won that tie. A couple of weekends ago he played Duff at left-back in the second half against Fulham when it was 1-1 and Chelsea won 3-1. That's similar to what Sir Alex Ferguson used to do with Ryan Giggs. You can take in information like that but it's about having the guts to do it and do it successfully.

Some people have criticised Chelsea's football but Mourinho's team are more rounded than Arsenal or Manchester United - they can play more styles. On their day Arsenal play the best stuff but beautiful football doesn't work all the time.

I've enjoyed Chelsea in full flow with Duff and Robben and in a strange way I enjoyed them at Bolton on Saturday as well. They were brave and you could see why Mourinho picked the team he did. He used all his big players to stand up to Bolton but also had enough quality to win.

Mourinho clearly has the players onside. People will say headlines such as Mateja Kezman being unhappy mean there's player unrest, but they don't. One or two might feel disgruntled but basically they seem to like and respect him.

I think it's significant the rotation of last season has been binned. At times Mourinho has rested one or two, or had to make changes, but mainstays such as John Terry, Frank Lampard, William Gallas and Eidur Gudjohnsen have always been there if fit.

The players know the organisation and system. There have been little tactical changes - they went to 4-4-2 on Saturday - but they're planned, and players feel more settled when things aren't being chopped and changed. Sometimes under Claudio Ranieri no one knew the team or tactics until 2pm.

Chelsea have had plenty of bad publicity under Mourinho but on the field there's been no problem with discipline. There's been none of the diving we saw from Porto and no misbehaviour, which is a credit to the management.

Didier Drogba got sent off at Barcelona and Carlo Cudicini walked against Newcastle in the FA Cup, but Chelsea haven't had a red card in the Premiership and I can't think of a flashpoint. Also I don't remember Terry being involved in a scuffle or anything untoward with a referee, and the same can't be said of certain other captains who have won the title.

I don't know if Mourinho means it but he takes a lot of pressure away from his players. Instead of things coming at the team or certain individuals from all angles, almost all the focus has been on him because of things he has said or done, and that helps the players to concentrate on the matches.

Mourinho has had money but he's had to work hard and be successful to get to that money at Chelsea and he's had to use it well.

The finance brings its own pressure. If Mourinho had finished fourth or fifth in the league and failed in Europe he might have got the sack, so he knew he had to do something spectacular. He's managed that in the Premiership and could still win the European Cup.

Nice bits about Zola's post-match byy Henry Winter in the Telegraph (Filed: 02/05/2005)

After all the praise for Jose Mourinho's razor-sharp mind, it was his acid tongue that finally won Chelsea the title. After watching the first-half struggle against Bolton Wanderers, Mourinho ripped into his listless players at the break, castigating all and sundry, including his dynamic English duo, John Terry and Frank Lampard. The Portuguese hair-drier was on full blast.

"Give me the shirt," Mourinho screamed at his players. "Give Steve Clarke the shirt - and we'll go out and work harder than you lot. You are 45 minutes from the Premiership. Liven up. Go out and show how much you want this championship." Mourinho was "fuming", Terry revealed later.

And once again, Mourinho's loyal charges responded to their master's bidding, scoring twice through the remarkable Lampard to launch a brace of parties. One gripped the Bolton arena where players danced like happy-hour revellers. Joe Cole and Didier Drogba even continued their jigs of joy on the roof of the team bus. Terry appeared through the skylight, filming the wild scenes.

Simultaneous carousing gripped the south-west of London, where festivities 50 years in the making swept the streets, and even the famous pensioners shook their legs in delight. From north to south, the Blues were united in one song, a chant their rivals cannot mock them with any more. "Have you ever seen Chelsea win the league?" came the question, followed by the ecstatic answer: "Yes we have!"

Lampard had a strong retort for Chelsea's detractors. "There have been some harsh words spoken about us not being entertaining and that the best two teams in the Premiership are in the final of the FA Cup [Arsenal and Manchester United]," Lampard said, "but the best team wins the league and we have done that. You look at Arsenal, who lost here, and United, who drew, and we have come and won."

All around Lampard, those others responsible for Chelsea's journey to nirvana were making and taking congratulatory calls. Mourinho phoned his wife and children in Portugal. Then the mobile of Gary Straker, Chelsea's player-liaison officer, rang. "It's Franco," came a familiar Italian voice, "What's the score?" Zola was on from Cagliari, craving good news of his beloved Blues. "We won, here's Roman," said Straker, handing the phone to Abramovich, whose elegant suit glistened with champagne after a visit to a raucous dressing room. "Thank you, thank you," the oligarch kept saying to Zola before signing off with a cheery, "See you next year".

The Russian's usual shy smile was replaced with a beam as wide as the mighty Volga. "For Roman it is not just a hobby," explained Eidur Gudjohnsen, Chelsea's Iceland international. "It's something he puts his heart into."

Abramovich's first task now will be to recruit a better finisher than Drogba - Inter Milan's Adriano is being mentioned. "What is important for Chelsea now is their next two or three signings," said the Bolton manager, Sam Allardyce. "That will be a key factor on whether they will go onwards and upwards."

In dipping into his bottomless barrel of petrol-dollars, Abramovich will formalise an extended, improved contract for Mourinho. "I want to stay with these players the maximum time I can, maybe even more years now," said Chelsea's Portuguese catalyst.

After emerging from a lengthy hug with Mourinho that shattered previous records for captain-coach victory embraces, Terry declared: "It feels very emotional. I just want to break down and I probably will when I get back to my hotel room on my own, when I sit back and watch it on TV. We've made a lot of sacrifices this year, trained hard and worked hard, and it's paid off.

"Everybody in training demanded 110 per cent from each other, never letting anybody have an easy day. The manager doesn't like anybody being sloppy in training and he hates conceding a goal even in training. When you are training with that intensity and at your best every day, you take it out into games."

In his right hand, Terry clutched a plastic bag containing his sweat-soaked No 26 top. "I've kept every shirt and every armband this season and I'll put them in one big frame," he smiled. "I'll overlap them a bit to fit them all in!" When critics carp about the money Abramovich has lavished on Chelsea, they forget that Terry is home-grown, a former Bridge ball-boy whose appetite has been sharpened by every barren season.

"The lads who've been here two, three, four years were desperate for silverware," Terry added. "Thankfully we've got it but that's by bringing in players and management who had the taste for it. With the youth and hunger from the other lads it was a great mix.

"We've got a great squad, a young side that wants to win and do things together. I certainly hope we can dominate English football. If we can keep the squad together and keep the manager here for a few years we've got a very good chance."

Chelsea's Premiership title is a triumph for Mourinho's man-management and tactical nous, his thoroughness highlighted by Terry's observation that "we knew everything Bolton would try". He is a manager who reacts cannily and boldly to a game's development, whether through inspired substitutions or changing the shape.

Stamford Bridge's second ever championship is also a victory for their English heartbeat, for leaders such as Terry and Lampard, whose sustained brilliance from midfield had Allardyce hailing him as "one of the best players in the world". Reflecting the mood of Bolton's fans with his generous applause for Chelsea, Allardyce added: "There's only Paul Scholes in his heyday who did a similar job in midfield to Lampard and went on to score 15 or 20 goals in a season."

The Blues' blend of determination and assured technique was encapsulated in Lampard's goals, confidently cutting into the box and twice beating Jussi Jaaskelainen, one of the Premiership's better keepers. Silk runs through the imposing tapestry of Chelsea's centenary season, an artwork encased in steel. Both Lampard and Terry played through injuries, refusing to let anyone down. "We are all brothers out there," Gudjohnsen said.

And so to Anfield, in pursuit of a treble. A baying Kop await tomorrow, an epic date with destiny in an evenly poised Champions League semi-final, second leg. "I can't see why we can't go on from this to win the Champions League," Cole said. "Why not? We'll be flying now."

Cole was rested for all but five minutes at Bolton, along with Arjen Robben, the wide players Mourinho intends unleashing on Rafa Benitez's defence. "I'm not 100 per cent fit but I will try," Robben said. Damien Duff also signalled he would be ready for a rousing night on Merseyside.

"Liverpool have great support and their players will be right up for it, as hungry as we are," Terry said. "When we get there and see our fans, any bit of tiredness will go out of the window. We've shown by beating Barcelona and Bayern Munich that we can mix it with the best."

Chelsea have proved they are the best in England. Now for Europe.