Well, I’m going to wrap this blog up now. Thanks for bearing with me and my connectivity issues. Goodbye.
Final seconds elsewhere:
Well, that will make everyone at Chelsea feel a whole lot better. A good win, and one that was needed, but Sunderland were such accommodating opponents. The Black Cats defended shabbily from the first minute, conceded three dreadful goals, and just left themselves too much to do. Oscar, Willian and Pedro were extremely impressive, particularly in the first half, and it looked much more like the Chelsea of old. Guus Hiddink will be fine: there’s bags of quality in this team.
For Sunderland, there are issues, particularly in defence, where they keep giving away bad goals. It’s going to be a long, hard season, and they have to improve. Quickly.
Updated
Full-time: Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland
That’s it.
90 min +2: So Chelsea should move up to 14th with this win. Sunderland stay second bottom – this will be their third loss in a row.
90 min +1: Kaboul looks long for Van Aanholt, but it’s overhit. Three minutes of stoppage time.
89 min: Willian looks for goal from a free kick 25 yards out, but the tall Pantilimon is wise to it, and plucks it out of the air.
88 min: Courtois saves from Defoe! Matic was dispossessed 20 yards from goal, and Defoe, who always reacts so quickly when there’s a sniff of a chance, got his shot away early, on his left foot, but Courtois did well to palm clear. Defoe struck it well, and it was slightly deflected by Zouma, but no alarms for Courtois.
Updated
86 min: Sunderland don’t really look like scoring. They’ve made a much better fist of it this half, but the first 50 minutes was rank. Chelsea happy with what they’ve got.
85 min: Again, Defoe just went too early as Borini flicked it on. Shame: he would have been all alone in front of goal.
84 min: That was a chance for 4-1, but Pedro couldn’t take it! Willian finds him on the outside, it’s a great first touch from Pedro, but he tried to dink it over Pantilimon, and got way too much on it. Over the bar.
83 min: Again, Chelsea fail to pick up, and Graham is free, but he can’t make the header count.
Change for Chelsea: Ramires on for Oscar, who gets hearty applause. I misspoke earlier: this is the final change. Mikel, Remy and Ramires are the substitutes on the pitch.
81 min: I think the wind has been taken out of Sunderland’s sails, but if they could just buy a goal from a set piece, it’ll be panic central. Borini wins a corner.
Updated
80 min: Sunderland make their final change, and Danny Graham is on for M’Vila, I think it was. Johnson’s long free kick looks for Kaboul again, but it’s defended well by Chelsea.
79 min: Nervy moments between Courtois and Zouma near the penalty spot, and Chelsea were extremely fortunate that it didn’t fall to a Sunderland player. Now Matic crosses at the other end – straight across the goalmouth! No one on hand to meet the cross.
Updated
77 min: Willian wanted a corner, but Roger East says goal kick. The ball from Remy was just overhit, which allowed Kaboul to recover.
75 min: Final change for Chelsea, and Remy is on for Diego Costa. Again, some applause, but some boos! More chants of “Jose Mourinho” from the stands. Costa’s not everyone’s cup of tea, is he?
Updated
74 min: Oh, Pedro just missed his kick! The ball was turned back into the box on the right-hand side, but the Spaniard just couldn’t sort his feet, and it squirted away. Chance!
72 min: Chelsea look to have tamped down on Sunderland’s minor disturbance. The game is becalmed.
70 min: Change for Chelsea: Mikel on for Fabregas. Some applause for Cesc; some fans pointedly refusing to clap.
Mikel and Matic to sit in front of the back four and shut the game down.
69 min: Ooh, Johnson was unlucky then: he just walked past Fabregas, and then went to ground, but the ref said no foul. Now Oscar, who’s been Chelsea’s best player, tries to bend one past Pantilimon, but it’s wide – just. As Harry Redknapp might say, he’s been triffic.
67 min: John Terry is having a moan at the ref. They’re not having it all their own way right now, and Sunderland, in these past 15 minutes, have been much improved.
Updated
66 min: Chance for Defoe, but he blasts it wide! Poor header from Zouma, and Defoe was quickly on to it, did really well to buy himself an extra yard with a fabulous dummy, but he went for power with the left-foot shot, and screwed it wide. He might have been better trying to place it beyond Courtois.
64 min: Oscar, Willian and Pedro have been slightly less influential this half, although I suppose Oscar did score the goal. And Willian did set it up. Ha! But they haven’t combined with those clever passing triangles in the way they did in the first 45.
62 min: Ooh, that was a mistake from Defoe: he ran too early after Borini released him, and the linesman correctly flagged for offside. If Defoe had held his run, he was in on goal.
61 min: Yellow card for Rodwell, who will now miss the Man City game through suspension.
60 min: Johnson, playing in a central role, accelerates away in midfield, and releases Watmore down the right. Watmore fell on the edge of the box, but it wasn’t a dive – he genuinely stumbled – and Van Aanholt blasts the free ball over the bar. Again.
Incidentally, Ivanovic ran over the ref just now in a paroxysm of upset, claiming Watmore had dived. He hadn’t. Ivanovic is a pain in the neck sometimes, isn’t he?
58 min: Chelsea just trying to get back into their passing rhythm after that little flurry from Sunderland. Johnson has made a difference since coming on, and so too has Borini, but why did it take them 50 minutes to wake up?
56 min: Ooh, close from Borini! This is madness. Johnson did really well through the middle, fed Borini, who had pulled away to the left, but his measured right-foot curler was just wide. Chelsea are getting twitchy!
54 min: Really poor marking from Chelsea – absolutely no one had picked up Kaboul. Johnson disguised the set piece very well. And now Defoe fires one across goal from the left! Great turn to go round Ivanovic, but no one was following in. All of a sudden, Sunderland have woken up!
53 min: Well! Maybe it isn’t quite done and dusted. Johnson sent in a lovely disguised free kick to Kaboul, who was all alone at the back post – no one had picked him up. His firm, low header was saved by Courtois, but he could only palm it out, and it hit Borini, who was following in, from three yards. A well worked free-kick, and even though they barely deserve it, Sunderland are back in it.
Updated
GOAL! Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland (Borini 53)
Where did that come from?
50 min: That was so weary from Sunderland. They gave it away, Chelsea streaked clear, Willian got into the box, tried to go round Pantilimon, but the Romanian tripped him as he looked to shoot. No real argument from Pantilimon. And Oscar, who had to wait while M’Vila, I think it was, was treated for an injury, just stepped up and passed it into the net, while the keeper dived the other way.
Updated
GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Sunderland (Oscar pen 50)
Just rolls it beyond the keeper. Game over.
Updated
Penalty to Chelsea!
Pantilimon tripped Willian. It was clear.
47 min: Better from Sunderland: much more positive, and they’ve actually committed players into Chelsea’s half. But they can’t make it stick, and Chelsea break …
Second half begins
46 min: Sunderland get us under way. They’ll be better in this half – mainly because they can’t get any worse. And Fabio Borini is on, for the ineffective Ola Toivonen.
Chelsea had 71% of possession in that first half. Sunderland shots on target? A big fat zero.
There are big things happening in big games: follow them here!
Here’s Justin Kavanagh: “Didn’t old big head Brian Clough have a spell at Brighton in between being sacked by the chairman at Derby (despite being lauded by the fans) and his 44 days at Leeds? Could Mourinho’s appearance on the south coast this morning be a harbinger of a move to Leeds? He’d certainly fit in at a club so filled with intrigue and skullduggery.
“Speaking of the 70s, RIP Jimmy Hill, the man who enlivened our Saturday nights before we discovered girls!”
A good half for Chelsea, but they were helped by a deeply substandard performance by Sunderland. They defended hopelessly for the first goal, and then didn’t cover themselves in glory for the second. Plus, they’re struggling to create anything up front, although Watmore is quick and direct, and has been their standout player. For Chelsea, Oscar, Pedro and Willian are pulling the strings in Hazard’s absence, and it’s been good to watch.
Can Sunderland come back? I think we probably all know the answer to that.
Updated
Half-time: Chelsea 2-0 Sunderland
Too easy. Sunderland have offered nothing.
45 min: Costa took one in the face from O’Shea, but he’ll be OK. One minute of stoppage time.
44 min: Oscar again just bursts through in a central position, and it falls to Pedro on the left, but Pantilimon does well to claim the cross. Another lovely piece of play from that duo.
43 min: Decent position for Sunderland, but it is pretty far out for a shot. Van Aanholt smacks it into the wall, and then his follow-up is wellied high over the bar. Disappointing.
42 min: Sunderland are just so deep. They can’t get anything going at all in attack. But Toivonen cuts out Willian’s pass and Watmore charges forward until he’s hacked by Azpilicueta about 30 yards out. How is that not a yellow card?! Such a cynical foul. I’m frothing!
40 min: Oscar’s been really bright down the left, and he streaks clear again, but Costa can’t quite pick out Pedro, and Sunderland win it back. Pedro’s been really good this half, too.
39 min: Another high, hanging free kick from O’Shea towards Kaboul, who had gone forward, but Chelsea win it cleanly, and another Sunderland “attack” breaks down.
38 min: Oh, almost a goal for Diego Costa: Fabregas and Pedro combined, and Pedro’s ball in looks for Costa at the back post, but Kaboul does enough, and it skims off Costa’s head and behind. He’s getting closer!
Updated
37 min: Didier Drogba is watching with Roman Abramovich. Is he coming back in the MLS off-season? Pedro picks up the ball and drives at the defence, and Sunderland, who replaced Sebastian Coates with Adam Johnson a few minutes ago, choose not to pressure the ball: the shot is nothing to worry about, though.
34 min: Willian goes down the left, and then Oscar combines nicely with Costa, but the Spanish striker’s shot is just over the bar. He didn’t quite get the connection, but it was a poor touch from John O’Shea that let him in.
32 min: Sunderland free kick, and O’ Shea slings it into the box – get it into the mixer! – but Defoe is called for a foul.
26 min: Apologies: I’ve had some technical issues, as they say. My computer’s on the blink! Chelsea on top. Sunderland not offering much.
Updated
22 min: Diego Costa wanted a penalty just now, but no call: O’Shea was strong, but there wasn’t anything in it. Diego Costa, sitting on the floor in the penalty area, arms outstretched, wailing plaintively to the ref: someone should paint image that and sell it for millions of dollars. Is Jeff Koons available?
Updated
19 min: First chance for Sunderland to counter, but Van Aanholt’s ball for Defoe is too strong. Defoe looks thoroughly fed up.
17 min: Just looking back at the goals on replay: Coates, who is 6ft 5in, didn’t get off the ground. And Pantilimon might have stopped the second goal: he got hands to it, but couldn’t keep it out.
16 min: Sunderland do enough that time, and it’s out for a goal kick. This has been abject from them. Chelsea, on the other hand, are playing with vim and verve, and Ivanovic, who’s been wretched this season, is prominent.
15 min: Chelsea are swarming all over Sunderland here. The visitors had eight men back on the edge of the box, but somehow Willian got free – his shot was blocked, though. Corner.
14 min: Ivanovic was free on the right, and he swung a low ball in: Sunderland didn’t deal with it, and it fell for Pedro, who reacted quickest, and he smashed a shot past Pantilimon. More bad defending. Oh, Sunderland!
Updated
GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Sunderland (Pedro 13)
That’s two!
Updated
12 min: Chelsea are playing well. Ivanovic tries to link up with Costa in the box, but there’s a wall of Sunderland defenders and they hammer it clear. But they can’t hold it up at the moment: the ball keeps coming back. Chelsea well on top.
10 min: Nice interchange between Willian and Oscar, but latter’s ball in is just too strong. Not too much from Diego Costa thus far.
8 min: What a great start for Chelsea. But what abject defending from Sunderland. It was just a header from a corner. Coates barely jumped. And just like that, Sunderland are under the cosh.
Willian goes for goal from a free-kick in a decent area, but it’s straight at the goalie.
5 min: Sam Allardyce will be livid. The ball in from Willian was decent, but Ivanovic got up ahead of Coates, and from the penalty spot speared a header over Pantilimon and in. Great header from the defender, but the marking was dreadful. So soft!
Updated
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Sunderland (Ivanovic 5)
Branislav!
4 min: Sunderland, as we predicted, are extremely deep when Chelsea have the ball. Kaboul takes it off the toe of Willian and whacks it forward. Toivonen, the giant clanking fair-haired Swede, goes in hard on Pedro, but no free-kick: he got a nick on the ball.
Chelsea force a corner, and the fans’ cries go up: “Stand up for the Special One.” Roman Abramovich remains sitting.
2 min: Positive start by Chelsea, and Oscar gets into the box, but can’t pick out a team-mate. Then Zouma erred with a slack pass, and Watmore was away, but the Frenchman did well to recover.
Tony Gale on commentary makes a good point about bravery: “The brave ones today are going to be the ones who want to get on the ball and play. Some of the players are going to get booed.”
And we're off!
1 min: The post-Mourinho era starts here. Until they bring him back next time.
Here’s John Keselica: “Jose Mourinho spotted at the Brighton-Boro fixture, sporting a Cersei Lannister hairdo. No doubt being prepped for Monday evening’s perp walk thru a sea of Gooner and Citizen supporters from Holloway Road station to the Clock End.”
Boos for Fabregas and Costa as the teams were announced. By contrast, there’s a swell of support for Mourinho. A slew of banners, some wittier than others, around Stamford Bridge.
Teams are in the tunnel. About five minutes till kick-off.
Sunderland could do with a point today, having lost their previous two to Arsenal and Watford. It’s been an uneven start for Sam Allardyce: three wins, including that 3-0 tonking of Newcastle and a great 1-0 at Palace, but five defeats also, and that 6-2 loss against Everton was shambolic. Nice to see Jack Rodwell picked to start, though, after a lean couple of years: he’s a clever passer, mobile, good in the air, and can play for England again, imho.
Here’s James Maddison: “Hi Tim, been out the country, just got to Stamford Bridge with a fellow Mackem. It’s a bit subdued here, have I missed something?”
Ayyyy!!!
Many, many more matches are going on, including Manchester United Nil against Norwich. Follow them here!
Sad news this morning: Jimmy Hill has died aged 87. Much mocked, but much loved, Hill was a genuine pioneer: player, manager, director, broadcaster, union rep. When he was chairman of the PFA, the players’ union, in the early 1960s, Hill successfully campaigned for the abolition of the £20-a-week maximum wage and the end of the retain and transfer system, giving players better rights than they’d previously enjoyed. Today’s monied Premier League stars have much to thank Hill for.
I expect there’ll be a moment of silence before today’s games. Hill, famous for his long chin, distinctive beard, and amusingly long-winded punditry style, was an influential figure in English football, and it seems apposite to mark his death.
So a pretty strong team from Chelsea, minus the injured Hazard. Zouma partners John Terry in central defence, and Pedro starts on the left, in that attacking trio behind Diego Costa.
Sunderland play three in defence – Kaboul, Coates and O’Shea will stay deep and form that “low block” that Mourinho appreciates so much. Jermain Defoe starts up front, and Steven Fletcher is on the bench.
Here’s Steve Holland on Hiddink:
“I think it’s a fantastic appointment. This club needs an experienced manager and Guud Hiddink is clearly that.
“It’s been a difficult week. There’s how you feel inside, and how you need to project yourself to the outside, and it’s as simple as that.
“We hope we produce the win. I’ve looked at the game as a one-off game, and I’ve hopefully picked a team to win.”
Your teams
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta, Fabregas, Matic, Willian, Oscar, Pedro, Costa. Subs: Begovic, Baba, Ramires, Mikel, Traore, Remy, Cahill.
Sunderland: Pantilimon, Jones, Coates, O’Shea, Kaboul, Van Aanholt, Watmore, M’Vila, Rodwell, Toivonen, Defoe. Subs: Borini, Johnson, Gomez, Graham, Yedlin, Mannone, Fletcher.
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)
John Terry’s been talking to TV. He looks ashen-faced.
It’s been a tough few days. Our position in the league isn’t good enough, and it’s down to us now to start winning football matches.
It’s difficult to focus, but we have a job to do at the same time. Enough talking from the players now: we’re responsible for this position, and we’re accountable, and we’ll stand up and show what a great group of players we are.
Well, what a week. That guy – what’s his name? – left, or something, and the Premier League went into meltdown. What went wrong? What happens now? What does it all mean? Whatever: José Mourinho is no longer the coach of Chelsea, and Steve Holland and Eddie Newton are in charge for today’s game against Sunderland. The champions are in a serious slump, and they need really a win this afternoon.
There’s been so much great stuff written about Mourinho, not least by my fine colleagues at the Guardian, but this from David Runciman in the LRB mused on the elephant in the room: Mourinho’s diminishing looks:
When he arrived in English football in 2004 Mourinho came trailing not just a reputation for arrogance and achievement but unquestioned sex appeal. He was frankly a lot better looking that any of his players. In such a deeply homoerotic sport, this counts for a lot.
The extraordinary hold he had over homely superstars like Frank Lampard and John Terry stemmed in large part from their desire to please their handsome boss: they used to look at him with adoring eyes, just waiting for a hug. Their fondest hope was that some of his stardust would rub off on them. Not any more. Now he looks more like Terry’s grumpy uncle.
Hello and welcome
And we start with some news: Guus Hiddink will take charge of Chelsea until the end of the season. David Hytner has the story:
Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Sid Lowe on why Diego Simeone might prefer Madrid to London:
Nothing is impossible and plenty of managers have built only to turn their backs and walk away, leaving a legacy for others. Romanticism is easily ripped up, of course. But depending on what happens during the rest of this season, this feels a little soon, and it would be hard for him to walk away. There is so much more to do, at his club and on his terms. There is a word Simeone uses often: pertenencia, or belonging.
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