How To Win Friends And Influence People

By london_dan Last edited 229 months ago
How To Win Friends And Influence People
mourinho_sssh1.jpg

José Mourinho won his first tournament as Chelsea boss yesterday, but lost a few friends and supporters in the process. After his petulant outbursts before the Barça game, followed by the silly accusations after that game, he was sent off during the Carling Cup Final for taunting the Liverpool fans after Chelsea equalised.

On the pitch, the game was a much more tame affair. Liverpool scored after about 40 seconds, after which Chelsea dominated the next 80 minutes without ever looking like they would score. That was until Steven Gerrard made a great start to his Chelsea career several months before joining the club by netting the equaliser. The game went to extra-time and there was only ever going to be one winner. Drogba and Kezman put Chelsea 3-1 in front, before Nunez pegged a goal back to make it a nervous last few minutes for the Blues.

In the league, Arsenal conceded the title race and look like they're settling for third spot as they failed to beat Southampton, drawing 1-1. Charlton got a draw, but a rather more respectable one, drawing 2-2 away to Middlesboro. They would have snatched all three points had it not been for a last minute equaliser by 'boro's Danny Graham.

Two London sides who did get Premiership wins at the weekend were Tottenham and Crystal Palace. Tottenham won their first London derby in something like 427 years, beating Fulham 2-0. However, the rather less good news is that Martin Jol has been linked with the Ajax job (the Dutch football club rather than the cleaning product), and is refusing to deny his interest. Jol has made mid-table mediocrity a fair bit more pleasurable for Spurs fans this season, and they'll be miffed to see him go.

The Londonist competition of the week is to guess who scored Palace's goals in their 2-0 win over Birmingham. Blues manager Steve Bruce got himself into a pot/kettle/black situation after the game by claiming the Palace top-scorer cheated. The win puts the Eagles that little bit closer to safety, but there's plenty more mileage in this relegation battle.

Down in Division Two, QPR thumped promotion favourites Ipswich 2-0 away. Paul Furlong scored a marvellous comedy goal to open the scoring after just four minutes, accepting a gift from Ipswich goalie Kelvin Davis, but they had to wait until 15 minutes from time until securing the points when the excellently named Danny Shittu headed home the second. A great result for the R's, which puts them within six points of the play-offs and consigns the Tractor Boys to their second home defeat of the week to London opposition.

A less good weekend was had by London's two other play-off hopefuls however, as West Ham lost 2-1 away to a resurgent Leeds United and Millwall lost 1-0 at Brighton. Further down the table, Watford got a point away at Wolves in a tedium-heavy 0-0 draw.

In Division Three, Brentford had two late goals to thank for snatching a 3-3 draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday, while in the Division Four Battle Of The Mid-Table, Leyton Orient beat Darlington 1-0.

Last Updated 28 February 2005