Tactical changes help Chelsea win

LONDON – With Chelsea losing to Arsenal late in the match, manager Avram Grant made a double substitution that prompted boos from his own fans and a song praising predecessor Jose Mourinho.

Twelve minutes and two Didier Drogba goals later, the jeers turned to cheers and the fans seemed to forget all about the “Special One.” “I didn’t hear them,” Grant said on Sunday after his team rallied to beat Arsenal 2-1 and move into second place in the Premier League.”I was just concentrating on what I needed to do.”Although Grant has lost only four of his 42 games since taking over at Chelsea, critics noted the defeats had come in some of the team’s biggest matches – the League Cup final against Tottenham, the FA Cup quarter-final match against Barnsley and two league games against title rivals Arsenal and Manchester United.Mourinho, conversely, won both domestic cup competitions for Chelsea last year, and the self-anointed “Special One” lost just one game in eight against Manchester United and was unbeaten against Arsenal in three seasons.To many, that was proof enough that Grant was out of his depth at Chelsea.But the Israeli coach earned his victory over Arsenal on Sunday with the sort of clever tactical change that Mourinho became famous for.Grant replaced midfielder Claude Makelele with right back Juliano Belletti, allowing Michael Essien to move out of defence into his preferred midfield role and negate the growing influence of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.Grant also brought on Nicolas Anelka to partner Drogba in attack, and the former Gunner quickly created the space for the Ivory Coast striker to score the equalizing goal after Bacary Sagna’s opener for Arsenal.Chelsea then took the lead when Belletti’s long free kick was headed down by Anelka to Drogba, whose shot on the turn was too powerful for Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.”We wanted to put more pressure on the defence,” Grant said.”I don’t think there’s any manager who thinks his substitutions will work all the time, but this time they did.”Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger agreed that Anelka’s introduction had changed the game at Stamford Bridge.”We got caught out when Anelka came on, with the long balls and in the physical battles,” Wenger said.”We have shown some lapses in concentration that we have paid for.”We have some defensive problems that we need to sort out.We need to get a little bit more defensive authority.”Arsenal has failed to win in its last five league games, and Chelsea’s victory pushed it ahead of its London rival and into second place – five points behind leader Manchester United with seven games to play.United visits Chelsea on April 26 in a game that could decide the title.While Arsenal is just a point behind Chelsea and still has to play United, it has lost its momentum and Wenger said the team could not think about the winning the league unless it recovered quickly.”We have first to win our next games before we can talk about the title,” Wenger said.Nampa-AP”I didn’t hear them,” Grant said on Sunday after his team rallied to beat Arsenal 2-1 and move into second place in the Premier League.”I was just concentrating on what I needed to do.”Although Grant has lost only four of his 42 games since taking over at Chelsea, critics noted the defeats had come in some of the team’s biggest matches – the League Cup final against Tottenham, the FA Cup quarter-final match against Barnsley and two league games against title rivals Arsenal and Manchester United.Mourinho, conversely, won both domestic cup competitions for Chelsea last year, and the self-anointed “Special One” lost just one game in eight against Manchester United and was unbeaten against Arsenal in three seasons.To many, that was proof enough that Grant was out of his depth at Chelsea.But the Israeli coach earned his victory over Arsenal on Sunday with the sort of clever tactical change that Mourinho became famous for.Grant replaced midfielder Claude Makelele with right back Juliano Belletti, allowing Michael Essien to move out of defence into his preferred midfield role and negate the growing influence of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.Grant also brought on Nicolas Anelka to partner Drogba in attack, and the former Gunner quickly created the space for the Ivory Coast striker to score the equalizing goal after Bacary Sagna’s opener for Arsenal.Chelsea then took the lead when Belletti’s long free kick was headed down by Anelka to Drogba, whose shot on the turn was too powerful for Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.”We wanted to put more pressure on the defence,” Grant said.”I don’t think there’s any manager who thinks his substitutions will work all the time, but this time they did.”Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger agreed that Anelka’s introduction had changed the game at Stamford Bridge.”We got caught out when Anelka came on, with the long balls and in the physical battles,” Wenger said.”We have shown some lapses in concentration that we have paid for.”We have some defensive problems that we need to sort out.We need to get a little bit more defensive authority.”Arsenal has failed to win in its last five league games, and Chelsea’s victory pushed it ahead of its London rival and into second place – five points behind leader Manchester United with seven games to play.United visits Chelsea on April 26 in a game that could decide the title.While Arsenal is just a point behind Chelsea and still has to play United, it has lost its momentum and Wenger said the team could not think about the winning the league unless it recovered quickly.”We have first to win our next games before we can talk about the title,” Wenger said.Nampa-AP