Post by Janjoon-Lebanese on Nov 19, 2006 13:12:25 GMT -5
Reaction: Thanks for out-of-the-blue Geri
Saturday, Nov 18, 2006
The sell-out Stamford Bridge crowd were not the only ones surprised by unlikely goal hero Gérémi’s free-kick winner. His manager José Mourinho admitted he too was astonished by the Cameroon star’s bolt out of the blue.
Alan Pardew was another spectator amazed Gérémi took it. “I wish he hadn’t!” he moaned.
Mourinho disclosed more about the free-kick which won the match.
“Yes it was planned. The plan was these three players on the ball and the movement they have to do. The decision about who takes the free-kick is between them. The distance to the goal, the distance to the wall, the position of the keeper, the feeling is between them. It’s their decision.”
With both Frank Lampard and in-form Didier Drogba lining up alongside Gérémi, few would have thought the 50-1 shot would take it.
“I thought they wouldn’t give him permission to take it,” smiled Mourinho, adding further praise for the right-back.
“Gérémi did well today. He did well in matches before. Some good crosses, some good assists for Didier to score goals against Watford and Aston Villa. A good goal today.
“But I think his performance is always very stable: no defensive mistakes, always controlled his direct opponent - and this boy Etherington is not an easy opponent - very safe with the ball, very confident in the building-up. I think he is playing well.”
Mourinho described the performance as a ‘satisfying display’ and commended our east London neighbours for their attitude.
“We deserved the points but at the same time, West Ham gave us a game. Normally with the production of our football, we should score the second goal and kill the emotion of the game, but we didn’t.
“It was a good game because both teams played with a good attitude, we played to win, they didn’t play for a point. From the beginning it was an open game.”
Alan Pardew felt it was West Ham’s ‘maximum performance’ this season. “We just could not get a result.”
The lack of a second goal could have been costly when, in the last ten minutes, Alan Pardew added more striking options.
“The last ten minutes, Pardew made changes, put on more attacking players, players with danger, players who can score goals and they gave us the last few minutes with some emotion, some danger. I said to I disagreeistant Steve on the bench: ‘Not one chance and now we are in trouble.’
“I think it would be very unfair if they score in the last period of the game and get a point because I think we were the best team, we had enough chances to win the game.”
To counter Pardew’s striking substitutions, Mourinho took off Arjen Robben and brought on John Obi Mikel.
“I think we adapted well. It was only a period of ten minutes but I think John Mikel was important for us because he kept the ball. Even under pressure he’s very confident and kept the ball for us. He put it on the floor for us, touch short, one pass, two passes, three passes, he kept possession of the ball.
“At the same time, when they had one more striker, Geri closed well the space inside and Joe closed well the space outside so Pardew was doing his job well but I think we answered also well and I think we controlled the game and deserved the points.”
Mourinho finished with news of the ankle injury that forced Ricardo Carvalho out of the game at half-time.
“Normally I’m not scared about ankles. I’m more scared about muscles and knees. A couple of days, a couple of weeks? I don’t know but nothing dangerous.”
GOOOO BLUES
