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Chelsea 0 Manchester City 0: Benitez booed as Blues reign starts with damp draw at home
By Ben Rumsby
PUBLISHED: 17:50, 25 November 2012 | UPDATED: 20:18, 25 November 2012Rafael Benitez was given a nightmare welcome from Chelsea fans as the European champions ground out a dour goalless draw with Manchester City.
Former Liverpool boss Benitez was treated like a pariah in his first match in charge of the Blues but did manage to mastermind their first clean sheet in 11 matches and deny City top spot in the Barclays Premier League.
The manager, though, insisted he did not pay attention to the crowd's reaction to him, saying: 'I am focused on the game, I don't listen to the crowd.'
Unpopular: Rafa Benitez was taking charge of Chelsea for the first time since Roberto Di Matteo's sacking
MATCH FACTS
CHELSEA: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole, Ramires, Mikel (Romeu 79), Oscar, Mata, Hazard (Moses 71), Torres. Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Marin, Cahill, Bertrand.
MAN CITY : Hart, Zabaleta, Nastasic, Kompany, Kolarov, Silva, Toure, Barry, Dzeko (Tevez 69), Aguero (Balotelli 86), Milner. Subs Not Used: Pantilimon, Maicon, Nasri, Javi Garcia, Toure.
Booked : Zabaleta, Kolarov, Balotelli.
Attendance : 41,792
Referee : Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Sergio Aguero wasted the best chance of a turgid game in driving rain, which the visitors had the better of in the first half but the home side the second.
The draw moved unbeaten champions City to within a point of new leaders Manchester United, leaving Chelsea fourth.
Benitez has shored up the Blues' defence during his four days in charge but he has his work cut out to get them playing the scintillating football demanded by the watching Roman Abramovich - and to get Fernando Torres scoring.
But that is nothing compared to winning over the fans on today's evidence.
Frustrations: Fernando Torres endured another difficult day, with Vincent Kompany looking after him
TORRES WATCH
BODY LANGUAGE
Torres had been all smiles during the warm-up and was quickly looking for possession. However, following a couple of poor early touches, that confidence quickly drained and never looked like it would come back today.
Torres' afternoon was summed up by the expression when picking himself off the floor after being barged out of possession by City captain Vincent Kompany in the closing stages.
MOVEMENT
The Chelsea frontman covered plenty of ground, but often ran into spaces where the ball did not follow. When he did get a pass into feet at the edge of the City penalty area, Torres was slow to turn and soon hounded out.
LINK-UP
Far too often, Chelsea looked to hit Torres with a long ball, bypassing midfield. When Juan Mata or Eden Hazard did get involved, they were more often than not on a different wavelength to the No 9, who spent most of the second half working the channels.
FINISHING
Torres was given little opportunity in front of goal in the first half, as Kompany kept him in close quarters. Just after the hour, he linked up well with Mata and Hazard for an opening, but blazed his shot over the crossbar.
Chelsea's stadium announcer was drowned out by jeers as he appealed for calm in order to pay tribute to former Chelsea boss Dave Sexton, whose death was confirmed today.
There were also expletive-laden chants of 'you're not wanted here', and signs reading 'Benitez out' - coupled with songs and banners hailing the sacked Roberto Di Matteo.
City's fans also showed no mercy and their players almost did the same inside four minutes when Eden Hazard gave the ball away and Ashley Cole had to get back to prevent Pablo Zabaleta gobbling up David Silva's through pass.
As well as recalling Torres, Benitez's other big selection call was starting both David Luiz and Branislav Ivanovic at centre-half - something his predecessor never did.
There was a worrying mix-up when Luiz's clearance careered behind off Ivanovic as City continued to enjoy the better of things.
Even more songs and applause for Di Matteo in the 16th minute - in recognition of his shirt number while a player at Chelsea - failed to inspire the home side.
They could have been behind five minutes later when Silva powered a free header over the top from Zabaleta's cross.
Chelsea's defensive jitters continued, with Cesar Azpilicueta's desperate block denying Aguero, although Ivanovic wreaked havoc from a corner at the other end.
Trickster: The likes of Oscar and Juan Mata struggled to impress their new manager
Zabaleta repeatedly exposed Chelsea's weakness down the left and he fired at Petr Cech's legs after a one-two with Edin Dzeko.
And, following a sudden dowpour, Aguero wasted a glorious chance to put City ahead three minutes before half-time when he nodded straight at Cech from six yards with no-one else near him.
Chelsea finally put together a flowing move and Ramires also let fly from 25 yards as they improved after the restart - but Torres' frustration grew as he wasted another good pass before kicking the ball away.
City's Yaya Toure blew a fine breakaway but Chelsea were on top, with Mata seeing more and more of the ball, as well as sending in a corner which Luiz flicked over.
Try as he might: Benitez was animated throughout on the touchline, but couldn't inspire
A two-on-one opportunity was thwarted when Torres was penalised for handball just before the hour mark but, after Cech spilt a skidding effort from Toure, the Spaniard finally had a clean sight of goal when he rifled just over left-footed after good work from Mata and Hazard.
Zabaleta was booked for halting a barnstorming run from Ivanovic, while Cole produced a crucial clearance on Dzeko's cross, the striker's final contribution before being replaced by Carlos Tevez midway through the half.
Benitez responded by bringing on Victor Moses for Hazard but his only impact was getting Aleksandar Kolarov booked as rain began to teem down once more.
Rough and ready: Chelsea's defence were well-drilled, keeping City's attacking talent at bay
Oriol Romeu replaced John Obi Mikel as Benitez tried again, although James Milner might have done better with a low cross.
Luiz saw a header deflected wide and Joe Hart palmed over a powerful Cole shot - although the officials failed to spot the touch.
Aguero departed for Mario Balotelli and Matija Nastasic almost snatched all three points for City with a stoppage-time header from a corner that was straight at Cech.
There was still time for Balotelli somehow to be booked for diving after a blatant bodycheck from Luiz.
VIDEO: GRAHAM CHADWICK'S PICTURES FROM CHELSEA V MANCHESTER CITY
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2DHXGz6Gs
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
By Ben Rumsby
PUBLISHED: 17:50, 25 November 2012 | UPDATED: 20:18, 25 November 2012Rafael Benitez was given a nightmare welcome from Chelsea fans as the European champions ground out a dour goalless draw with Manchester City.
Former Liverpool boss Benitez was treated like a pariah in his first match in charge of the Blues but did manage to mastermind their first clean sheet in 11 matches and deny City top spot in the Barclays Premier League.
The manager, though, insisted he did not pay attention to the crowd's reaction to him, saying: 'I am focused on the game, I don't listen to the crowd.'
Unpopular: Rafa Benitez was taking charge of Chelsea for the first time since Roberto Di Matteo's sacking
MATCH FACTS
CHELSEA: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole, Ramires, Mikel (Romeu 79), Oscar, Mata, Hazard (Moses 71), Torres. Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Marin, Cahill, Bertrand.
MAN CITY : Hart, Zabaleta, Nastasic, Kompany, Kolarov, Silva, Toure, Barry, Dzeko (Tevez 69), Aguero (Balotelli 86), Milner. Subs Not Used: Pantilimon, Maicon, Nasri, Javi Garcia, Toure.
Booked : Zabaleta, Kolarov, Balotelli.
Attendance : 41,792
Referee : Chris Foy (Merseyside).
Sergio Aguero wasted the best chance of a turgid game in driving rain, which the visitors had the better of in the first half but the home side the second.
The draw moved unbeaten champions City to within a point of new leaders Manchester United, leaving Chelsea fourth.
Benitez has shored up the Blues' defence during his four days in charge but he has his work cut out to get them playing the scintillating football demanded by the watching Roman Abramovich - and to get Fernando Torres scoring.
But that is nothing compared to winning over the fans on today's evidence.
Frustrations: Fernando Torres endured another difficult day, with Vincent Kompany looking after him
TORRES WATCH
BODY LANGUAGE
Torres had been all smiles during the warm-up and was quickly looking for possession. However, following a couple of poor early touches, that confidence quickly drained and never looked like it would come back today.
Torres' afternoon was summed up by the expression when picking himself off the floor after being barged out of possession by City captain Vincent Kompany in the closing stages.
MOVEMENT
The Chelsea frontman covered plenty of ground, but often ran into spaces where the ball did not follow. When he did get a pass into feet at the edge of the City penalty area, Torres was slow to turn and soon hounded out.
LINK-UP
Far too often, Chelsea looked to hit Torres with a long ball, bypassing midfield. When Juan Mata or Eden Hazard did get involved, they were more often than not on a different wavelength to the No 9, who spent most of the second half working the channels.
FINISHING
Torres was given little opportunity in front of goal in the first half, as Kompany kept him in close quarters. Just after the hour, he linked up well with Mata and Hazard for an opening, but blazed his shot over the crossbar.
Chelsea's stadium announcer was drowned out by jeers as he appealed for calm in order to pay tribute to former Chelsea boss Dave Sexton, whose death was confirmed today.
There were also expletive-laden chants of 'you're not wanted here', and signs reading 'Benitez out' - coupled with songs and banners hailing the sacked Roberto Di Matteo.
City's fans also showed no mercy and their players almost did the same inside four minutes when Eden Hazard gave the ball away and Ashley Cole had to get back to prevent Pablo Zabaleta gobbling up David Silva's through pass.
As well as recalling Torres, Benitez's other big selection call was starting both David Luiz and Branislav Ivanovic at centre-half - something his predecessor never did.
There was a worrying mix-up when Luiz's clearance careered behind off Ivanovic as City continued to enjoy the better of things.
Even more songs and applause for Di Matteo in the 16th minute - in recognition of his shirt number while a player at Chelsea - failed to inspire the home side.
They could have been behind five minutes later when Silva powered a free header over the top from Zabaleta's cross.
Chelsea's defensive jitters continued, with Cesar Azpilicueta's desperate block denying Aguero, although Ivanovic wreaked havoc from a corner at the other end.
Trickster: The likes of Oscar and Juan Mata struggled to impress their new manager
Zabaleta repeatedly exposed Chelsea's weakness down the left and he fired at Petr Cech's legs after a one-two with Edin Dzeko.
And, following a sudden dowpour, Aguero wasted a glorious chance to put City ahead three minutes before half-time when he nodded straight at Cech from six yards with no-one else near him.
Chelsea finally put together a flowing move and Ramires also let fly from 25 yards as they improved after the restart - but Torres' frustration grew as he wasted another good pass before kicking the ball away.
City's Yaya Toure blew a fine breakaway but Chelsea were on top, with Mata seeing more and more of the ball, as well as sending in a corner which Luiz flicked over.
Try as he might: Benitez was animated throughout on the touchline, but couldn't inspire
A two-on-one opportunity was thwarted when Torres was penalised for handball just before the hour mark but, after Cech spilt a skidding effort from Toure, the Spaniard finally had a clean sight of goal when he rifled just over left-footed after good work from Mata and Hazard.
Zabaleta was booked for halting a barnstorming run from Ivanovic, while Cole produced a crucial clearance on Dzeko's cross, the striker's final contribution before being replaced by Carlos Tevez midway through the half.
Benitez responded by bringing on Victor Moses for Hazard but his only impact was getting Aleksandar Kolarov booked as rain began to teem down once more.
Rough and ready: Chelsea's defence were well-drilled, keeping City's attacking talent at bay
Oriol Romeu replaced John Obi Mikel as Benitez tried again, although James Milner might have done better with a low cross.
Luiz saw a header deflected wide and Joe Hart palmed over a powerful Cole shot - although the officials failed to spot the touch.
Aguero departed for Mario Balotelli and Matija Nastasic almost snatched all three points for City with a stoppage-time header from a corner that was straight at Cech.
There was still time for Balotelli somehow to be booked for diving after a blatant bodycheck from Luiz.
VIDEO: GRAHAM CHADWICK'S PICTURES FROM CHELSEA V MANCHESTER CITY
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2DHXGz6Gs
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
oh that!!!! At least Chelsea fans acknowledge they're a circus.
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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