Jose Mourinho refused to address the media
after Chelsea’s 2-1 derby loss to West Ham on
Saturday after being sent to the stands by the
referee at half-time as Chelsea’s nightmare
season went from bad to worse.
Nemanja Matic was sent off in the first half for
two bookable offences with Mourinho’s men
already trailing to Mauro Zarate’s goal.
The second yellow came directly after a
disallowed Chelsea goal that had seemed
legitimate and following an earlier incident when
goal-line technology ruled out another effort that
did not quite cross the line.
Mourinho has already earned himself a fine and a
suspended stadium ban for repeatedly claiming
officials have a vendetta against him and his
team.
And he was sent to the stands for the whole of
the second half by referee Jon Moss, who had
earlier expelled first-team coach Silvino Louro
from the technical areas.
Gary Cahill equalised early in the second half,
but substitute Andy Carroll won it for West Ham,
who moved up to second place on the final
whistle.
Last season’s champions can now be found
down in 15th place after a fifth defeat in 10
matches.
West Ham opened the scoring in the 17th
minute.
Asmir Begovic did well to tip over Dimitri Payet’s
free-kick, but Diego Costa could only divert the
resulting corner to where Zarate was lurking on
the right of the box and the Argentinian drove
home.
Upton Park erupted, the home fans serenading
Mourinho with the inevitable chants of “You’re
getting sacked in the morning!” and “You’re not
special any more!”
Cesar Azpilicueta was booked for fouling Zarate
before Ramires failed to atone for his error by
blasting another long-ranger well over.
The champions penned in their hosts for a spell
that saw home goalkeeper Adrian make a diving
save to keep out Willian’s free-kick and Manuel
Lanzini hook away a header from Kurt Zouma.
The goal-line technology replay showing that only
a tiny portion of the ball had not crossed the
white paint of the line.
Matic was shown his first yellow card for tugging
Cheikhou Kouyate down to end a storming
counter-attack.
Lanzini should have made it 2-0 when he chipped
over with only Begovic to beat and a raised flag
denied Cesc Fabregas when he accepted
Willian’s pass and beat Adrian.
It was assistant referee Andrew Halliday’s call
and television replays suggested the goal should
have stood.
Suddenly Harry Lennard, the other linesman, was
the focal point, signalling to Moss that Matic’s
foul on Diafra Sakho right in front of him was
enough to warrant a second yellow card.
The Serb departed a minute before the break,
with Mourinho merely smiling ruefully.
But Louro’s temper was already at boiling point
and he was sent to the stands for a furious
verbal volley at the officials, while Fabregas and
Costa were also booked for complaining.
John Mikel Obi replaced Fabregas for the second
half as Mourinho himself failed to reappear on
the touchline, instead popping up high in the
main stand. It soon emerged that Moss had
expelled him during the interval.
The 10 men equalised in the 56th minute when
Cahill lashed a high shot past Adrian after the
ball fell kindly for him at a corner. Mourinho
remained stony-faced for that one.
Begovic saved from Zarate and John Terry did
well to thwart the forward from the next attack,
but Chelsea were looking as comfortable as they
had ever been, with Costa heading a Willian free-
kick over at the other end.
West Ham were looking short of ideas and Zarate
was replaced by Carroll as manager Slaven Bilic
decided to switch to Plan B.
It worked as the huge striker rose to nod the
Hammers back in front, out-jumping the static
Azpilicueta to meet Aaron Cresswell’s cross from
the left in the 79th minute.
That deflated Chelsea, who sent on Radamel
Falcao in the forlorn hope of a second equaliser
that did not come.