Old habits die hard for Chelsea
Chelsea may sparkle intermittently, and it is only five weeks since Manchester City were spanked out of sight, but the old habits perfected under Jose Mourinho will clearly take time to eradicate. This was an afternoon which could have been hand-crafted by the Special One: a faltering, display against impressively belligerent opponents, with the points snaffled by a moment of genius — on this occasion from Joe Cole — just when they appeared to be slipping away.
The home supporters must have felt as if they had stepped back in time as they trooped home on Saturday, especially when their manager indulged in some of the sniping so beloved of his predecessor.
Grant was unhappy — unreasonably so — at what he perceived as West Ham’s overly-aggressive tactics, claiming they should have been reduced to 10 men in a hectic opening 25 minutes when the tackles were flying on both sides.
Alan Curbishley, the West Ham manager, gave Grant’s complaints short thrift, pointing out that the worst tackle of the afternoon was committed by Jon Mikel Obi, a horrid, two-footed lunge which left Scott Parker prostrate on the turf mid-way through the first half.
Curbishley also had his own theory on Grant’s new-found taste for public outbursts. “Avram’s been put in a position where he’s got a big, big club on his hands,” he said. “So, perhaps he feels he has to make some big, big statements.”
Grant should clearly not expect to win any popularity contests in east London. Curbishley was also scathing in his assessment of the changes, or lack of them, made by the former Maccabi Haifa manager since he assumed control in September.
“I just think that the big thing since Avram took over is that John Terry’s come back, Frank Lampard’s come back, Drogba’s on fire,” he added. “I think he’s come in and done what Gary Megson’s done at Bolton. He’s just said: ‘Get on with it. You’re all good players.’
“I don’t think he’s changed too much. He can’t change the personnel because he can’t do anything about that at the moment. He already had a really good side and he’s just asked them to do what they do.”
Grant should probably not have expected much in the way of charity from Curbishley, but there is clearly more to him than simply naming Chelsea’s best XI, sitting back and enjoying the show. The demeanour may be downbeat but there is also fire in the belly: Cole revealed that his side had been subjected to a dressing-down during the interval, with Grant apparently peeved at their eagerness to out-battle rather than out-play West Ham.
It will be weeks, maybe months, before Grant is completely accepted by the notoriously insular English footballing community. His name is still not sung by the Shed end, despite leading Chelsea to 10 wins in the last 12 matches and his public manner is too gruff to ever inspire much affection among the press corps.
But this is no managerial green-horn. The 52-year-old is vastly experienced, having transformed the fortunes of Maccabi and very nearly lifted Israel — a footballing non-entity for much of its brief history — intothe finals of the 2006 World Cup.
“I’m not a coach who has been in the game for one year,” he said. “I’ve been a coach for more than 30 years and from my experience you need to focus in your job and other people can say whatever they want.
“I like achieving success quietly, especially after nobody gave us a chance after what happened in the beginning of the season. We need to work, we need to do our job and then everything will happen.”
That mantra was a neat summary of events in SW6 on Saturday. West Ham were admirable in almost every department, working feverishly to deny their hosts the space they need to thrive. It took 42 minutes for Chelsea to muster a shot on target and even a more open second half yielded few clear-cut chances, with Cole taking the one that counted with true aplomb, collecting Salomon Kalou’s flick-on, rounding Robert Green and lifting his shot high into the net past the sliding Matthew Upson.
Cole, a graduate of the West Ham academy, celebrated with gusto and repented at leisure. “I would have liked to have restrained myself more as I’ve still got friends and family who are West Ham,” he admitted. “My emotions got the better of me.” A few more weeks with Grant should put paid to that.
Cudicini 6, Belletti 5, Alex 6, Terry 6, Bridge 6, Mikel 6, Sidwell 4 (Wright-Phillips 65, 6), Lampard 6, J Cole 8 (Makelele 88, 5), Drogba 8, Kalou 6.
Subs Not Used: Hilario, Shevchenko, Ben Haim.
Green 6, Neill 9, Gabbidon 7, Upson 8, McCartney 7, Solano 7 (Ljungberg 73, 5), Parker 8 (Spector 78, 5), Mullins 8, Etherington 7 (Ashton 78, 6), Boa Morte 7, C Cole 7.
Subs Not Used: Wright, Collins.
Howard Webb (South Yorkshire) 5: Not the best of afternoons. Could have dismissed Mikel in the first half, when he got too many decisions wrong. Better after half-time but still not impressive.
*** Scrappy in the first half, absorbing in the second. West Ham deserved more but Chelsea have a habit of eking out wins on close-fought occasions.
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