Before noting Ranieri’s official response to the night’s game I was lucky enough to grab a quick word with the man who cleary stated, in no uncertain terms, “ I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THIS GAME”. Hey – I did say it was quick!
The official response:
Post-match Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri agreed that having conceded a late goal, his team would have a difficult return match in Norway in two weeks’ time.
“I spoke with my players before the game and told them it will be very hard there because at home they are better. So it is important to play well and win well here.”
Clearly disappointed that his team had spurned many chances to score, he added: “Two nil would have been a bad result but 2-1 is worse. It was very difficult to play tonight because they played very well. They played only with one in front and only counter-attack.
“They put two walls in front of the goalkeeper and were well organised. It was difficult to move the ball quick and find the right position for the strikers.”
“We made a lot of mistakes. We made two wrong passes on their goal. And also in front of goal, we made a lot of mistakes. We needed a little more calm in front of goal, a little more attention. In Europe it is important to score goals.”
His opposite number, a jubilant Benny Lennartson described tonight’s result as “a gift”.
“Two nil would have been almost impossible,” he said. “But now we are in with a chance.”
He felt that Chelsea’s first goal at the end of the first-half was unnecessary and thought from his vantage point on the bench that the second was “clearly offside”. But he did concede that Chelsea could and should have scored more goals.
“Especially Hasselbaink, he made one or two great attacks and should have scored at least once more. He is not far away from being in top form again. I have two of the best centre-halves in Norway and they struggled with his pace.
“In the second-half, when Zola came in behind the midfield, he caused us a lot of problems."
One thing Claudio Ranieri has promised Chelsea supporters is that his team will do all in their power to overturn tonight’s disappointing result. “We are going there to fight,” he said defiantly.
stevefurlong@chelsea-mad.co.uk