Sports News

English premier league has virtually ended with teams fighting the relegation zone. ful analysis and round up soon.

2011-05-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

English premier league has virtually ended with teams fighting the relegation zone. ful analysis and round up soon.

Chelsea have regained the Premier League crown after finishing second to Manchester United

2011-05-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

Chelsea have regained the Premier League crown after finishing second to Manchester United in the last three seasons. Former manager Jose Mourinho, bankrolled by owner Roman Abramovich's millions, brought the first title to Stamford Bridge for 50 years when the Blues lifted the trophy in 2005. Chelsea became only the second team to win back-to-back Premier League titles when they clinched it a year later. Mourinho left the club by mutual consent in September 2007.

Although Chelsea reached the FA Cup final in 1994, they hardly set the world alight in their early Premier League days. Ruud Gullit became manager in 1996 and steered the Blues to an FA Cup triumph in 1997, while his successor Gianluca Vialli guided the team to victory in the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup in 1998.

Shortly after, he led the team to the UEFA Super Cup after a 1-0 win over Real Madrid. The FA Cup followed in 2000. Vialli was replaced by Claudio Ranieri in 2000 and he led Chelsea to another FA Cup final appearance in 2002.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the Blues for £140m. After a trophyless season, he appointed Mourinho as new Chelsea manager and there was instant success. In 2005, Chelsea won the Barclays Premiership and League Cup, along with a Champions League semi-final appearance.

And Mourinho retained the Barclays Premiership crown the year after, equalling the club's own Premier League record of 29 wins set the previous season. They were league runners-up in 2006/07 and also claimed the FA Cup and League Cup double.

They were also runners-up in the 2007/08 campaign, but by this time Mourinho had left the club. He was replaced by Avram Grant who led the Blues to the final of the Champions League and Carling Cup.

Grant left Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and was replaced by Luiz Felipe Scolari who was tasked with bringing the title back to the club. However he was sacked in February 2009 and replaced by Guus Hiddink who agreed to take charge until the end of the campaign while continuing to coach the Russian national side. He was hugely popular with fans and players and he led them to success in the FA Cup final, beating Everton 2-1.

His decision to stick with Russia saw Chelsea bring in former AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti who enjoyed a stunning first season in English football, guiding Chelsea to the Barclays Premier League title in some style. They hit 103 goals to set a new Premier League goalscoring record with Didier Drogba notching 29 to claim the Barclays Golden Boot. Just a week later, they added the FA Cup to their ever expanding trophy cabinet.

Club Heritage

Chelsea were formed in 1905 and were elected into the Second Division of the Football League. They just missed out on silverware 10 years later with an FA Cup final defeat. The Blues had to wait for their first major trophy in 1955, when under manager Ted Drake, they won the league title. Chelsea claimed the League Cup for the first time in 1965 and were defeated in the FA Cup final two years later.

Featuring the likes of Ron 'Chopper' Harris, Ian Hutchison and Peter Osgood, Chelsea overcame Leeds to win the FA Cup in 1970. In the following season, they clinched the European Cup Winners' Cup with a replay victory over Real Madrid.

Financial problems meant the Stamford Bridge club dropped into the Second Division, and at one point they were close to falling to the Third Division.

They eventually won their place back in the top flight in 1984, but their stay only lasted four seasons. They clawed their way back to the First Division again as Second Division champions in 1989 and have remained in the top flight ever since.

Premier League History

1992/93 - Inaugural members of the Premier League
1993/94 - Lose FA Cup final
1996/97 - Ruud Gullit appointed player-manger
1996/97 - Win FA Cup
1997/98 - Gianluca Vialli becomes manager
1997/98 - Win League Cup, Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup
1999/00 - FA Cup winners
2000/01 - Claudio Ranieri becomes manager
2001/02 - Lose FA Cup final
2003/04 - Chairman Ken Bates sells Chelsea to Roman Abramovich
2000/05 - Jose Mourinho takes over as manager
2004/05 - Chelsea win Barclays Premiership and League Cup
2005/06 - Chelsea win Barclays Premiership
2006/07 - Win FA Cup and League Cup
2007/08 - Jose Mourinho leaves the club to be replaced by Avram Grant. Runners up in the Carling Cup, Barclays Premier League and Champions League. Part company with Grant. Luiz Felipe Scolari appointed manager in June.
2008/09 - Scolari is sacked in February 2009 and replaced by Russian national coach Guus Hiddink who combines both roles until the end of the season. Chelsea beat Everton 2-1 to win the FA Cup final. Carlo Ancelotti named new manager in June 2009.
2009/10 - Ancelotti leads the Blues to the Barclays Premier League title, scoring 103 goals in the process. They then beat Portsmouth in the FA Cup to seal their first League and FA Cup double trophy win of their history.

Man City's Blue Moon rises Roberto Mancini slumped heavily in his seat and puffed out his cheeks

2011-05-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

Man City's Blue Moon rises Roberto Mancini slumped heavily in his seat and puffed out his cheeks in relief before finally breaking into a smile. And he has only been trying to bring a trophy to Manchester City for 17 months.

Those who have lived every moment of the 35 years since Newcastle United were beaten in the 1976 League Cup Final were flying even higher on emotions all the money in Abu Dhabi would find it hard to buy.

Wembley was awash with symbolism as Carlos Tevez lifted the FA Cup after a deserved victory against Stoke City. The long and painful wait was over, the Blue Moon was rising over Wembley and a small corner of Old Trafford could no longer be draped in the infamous banner mocking Manchester City's barren years.

Mancini put the significance of Manchester City's win in context as he announced it was about "changing the history of the club" while the outstanding defender Vincent Kompany said: "We have laid down the first brick. Now we can build a house on it."

It will, no doubt, be the most expensive accommodation around but it is highly unlikely it will be another 35 years before the next piece of silverware goes on show.

It was Francis Lee, part of Manchester City's last FA Cup-winning side against Leicester City in 1969, who famously observed that if cups were "awarded for cock-ups" their trophy cabinet would be bulging under the sheer weight of honours.After winning numerous trophies as a player and manager in Italy, Roberto Mancini celebrates his first trophy in England - photo: AFP.

Yaya Toure's goal, 16 minutes from the end of a final Manchester City dominated, means the jokes can stop and a club too closely associated with the self-destruct button in the past can look forward to a golden future.

The image of Dennis Tueart's famous overhead kick that won their last major honour will never fade, but Toure's thundered finish beyond Stoke's heroic goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen can allow it to become just a little more blurred.

Toure can now take his place in Manchester City folklore after the giant Ivory Coast midfield man added an FA Cup Final winner to the goal that decided the Wembley semi-final against Manchester United.

And the sweet satisfaction of this success could not be soured even by rivals United clinching a record 19th domestic title with a draw at Blackburn Rovers minutes before kick-off at Wembley.

Mancini has been criticised this season, occasionally here it should be said, but a place in the Champions League and an FA Cup in the trophy cabinet represents a job well done, no matter how much has been spent on achieving it.

The Italian naturally wears a cloak of conservatism tactically, a trait that is still treated with suspicion even by some of his own supporters, but Manchester City will accept success in any form after a starvation diet and two major objectives have been achieved.

Mancini's lavish transfer budget makes him a target when Manchester City fail to deliver, so it is only right he receives the credit due to him after fashioning their first serious success since the mid-70s.

The quality that has arrived at Eastlands was obvious against a Stoke City side that sadly allowed the day to pass them by, Sorensen and Jermaine Pennant apart.

And with Champions League qualification assured, Mancini appeared to release the handbrake just a little with an attacking line-up that included Mario Balotelli alongside Tevez and more of an attacking emphasis to set alongside the usual defensive resilience.

Yaya Toure also scored at Wembley against Man

Stoke manager Tony Pulis, thoroughly dignified and gracious in defeat, studied "the bigger picture" for solace after an uncharacteristically timid slide to defeat from players who have previously appeared fearless in the face of any challenge.

Whereas Mancini's decision to go with Tevez after a month out with hamstring problems was fully vindicated, Pulis' gamble on Matthew Etherington looked ill-fated long before he was substituted just after the hour.

Etherington, normally a figure of such influence for Stoke, drifted on Wembley's margins to little effect and was clearly way short of full itness, a flaw always likely to exposed in this unforgiving environment.

Stoke, their manager and their supporters - truly magnificent before, during and after this FA Cup Final - can rightly be proud of their progression this season but this will not be a day for happy memories on the field.

Only Sorensen stood between Manchester City and a more emphatic winning margin and as Mancini savoured the taste of victory, a victory he insisted would not be toasted by alcohol with work still to be done this season, he was already looking forward.

He said: "The FA Cup is an important trophy and we have learned a lot this season as a team. I think we need to improve more and take another step but it was important to start winning. The first trophy, the start, is so important."

As Manchester City's players paraded in front of their joyous supporters turning the tables on Manchester United's taunts with a banner emblazoned with "00 Years", Mancini heard the sound of acceptance sweep around Wembley as his name rang out.