Grant Defends Carvalho

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

SSN

Grant defends Carvalho

Chelsea boss Avram Grant has defended centre-back Ricardo Carvalho following his sending off against Aston Villa.

The Blues and Villa played out an absorbing 4-4 thriller at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea reduced to nine men and Martin O'Neill's side to 10.

Carvalho was dismissed on the 80th minute when he went in two-footed on Gabriel Agbonlahor, however Grant insists that the Portugal international did not go into the challenge intent on hurting his opposition.

"For me what's important is that Carvalho did not intend to hurt the player - I didn't see any intention," he said.

"It was the decision of the referee and I respect it. I will look at the incident again."

Frank Lampard limped off early in the encounter, with what looked like a thigh injury, and Grant says it is too early to diagnose the problem.

"We can't give a diagnosis on Frank Lampard after one hour. We'll wait and see," he continued.

"Frank was not happy about coming off because he likes playing even in training games.

"We have a very good medical department and he will be fit as possible. We need to wait until tomorrow for an update."

Meanwhile, Chelsea have confirmed that they will be appealing Ashley Cole's red card on the grounds of wrongful dismissal.

Cole received his marching orders after he appeared to handle on the goal-line, with referee Phil Down awarding Villa a penalty - which Gareth Barry scored to make it 4-4.

[Layla 0]

Ricardo Carvalho has released a statement following his sending off against Aston Villa.

Carvalho said: 'It was never my intention to hurt Gabriel Agbonlahor with the tackle. I was going for the ball and I don't want people to think that I tried to hurt another player. I didn't see him after the game to apologise but I asked for a message to be passed on to him.'

Source:Chels

Prob be told to say that still least he hasnt launched an attack on the player and other players etc

[Steve 10,227]

atleast he is sorry and he has seen where he has done wrong and is also going to look back on it and try and fix his mistakes.. wreckless challenge that was not needed

[bigbluewillie 1,931]

agbonlahor was being a lary little cunt, i'm only sorry riccy did'nt break his fucking leg.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

It doesn't matter who you support, two footed challenges should be stamped out, and I am glad referees are doing so. If it had been the other way around, JBB, and Agbonlahor had two-footed Carvalho, you'd be screaming for his head.

[Steve 10,227]

yea agreed it was a straight red no doubt about it, hes an idiot for makig the wrong decision when there wher eplayers to make him up

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

It worries me that we have to look to other teams to start doing us favours so early on in the season.

It just goes to show you how far we have come under the guidance of the "Normal One"

[Layla 0]

It worries me that we have to look to other teams to start doing us favours so early on in the season.

It just goes to show you how far we have come under the guidance of the "Normal One"

Yep and how fun it was watching other teams depend on us slipping up.

Carvallo as an idoit end of.Least he's aploigised and taken the blame and not done a Crouch

[joe_kura 0]

It worries me that we have to look to other teams to start doing us favours so early on in the season.

It just goes to show you how far we have come under the guidance of the "Normal One"

lol, i LOVED to see him tapping his head during match. fantastic motivation to the team!!

while the dream to be the world biggest team is going straight in to the drain.

all i can do is pray to god so that that cunt will get fired ASAP.

[Layla 0]

lol, i LOVED to see him tapping his head during match. fantastic motivation to the team!!

while the dream to be the world biggest team is going straight in to the drain.

all i can do is pray to god so that that cunt will get fired ASAP.

He's keeping Roman and Kenyon happy with his mellow act so doubt he will be fired.

Its just so annoying seeing him just starring with a tralala expression whereas Jose would be hitting the roof.His post match interview my god he wouldnt stay as calm as Grant managed to

[Ollie 4,400]

Grant cant defend him after that, its was stupid. i dont even know why he went to ground, the ball was close enough to carvalho for him to win it normally. He went in like that to wipe out the ball and kill the player, but he went in like a complete idiot.

[misschief 24]

Discipline has been a problem for a while now and its getting worse. The players seem to be constantly losing their heads and that smacks of a lack of good leadership to me. With the injuries we have already the last thing we can afford is to lose players like this. Carvalho has let himself and everyone else down here and there really is no defence for that.

[manpe 10,861]

One of Mourinho's traits was he could handle a bunch of stars. Grant - he considers himself a star now. With discipline slowly fading away and new primadonna stars about to come, we'll be witnessing lots of tackles and cards like this.

[Steve 10,227]

its just gone the one thing jose brought has vanished and i cant see anyone bringing it back

[Layla 0]

Jose would go mental and drop them etc.Grant probably didnt say anything,cant imagin him.Jose defo wouldnt defend them when he knows full well that they did a dodgy and harsh and uncalled for tackle

Prob down to JT and Clarke now to sort things out and even JT started going a bit loopy with the refs and other players

Edited December 27, 2007 by Layla

[joe_kura 0]

Discipline has been a problem for a while now and its getting worse. The players seem to be constantly losing their heads and that smacks of a lack of good leadership to me. With the injuries we have already the last thing we can afford is to lose players like this. Carvalho has let himself and everyone else down here and there really is no defence for that.

we have a rookie manager who always defend players even when they did something really stupid. i like ricky and he is one of our best defender but he deserved to be blow dryed after that tackle and any good or ordinary manager will gone ballistic on him. i wonder where to classified avram's managing skill then?

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Well whatever the situation, and manager HAS to defend their own players. Its part of the job to keep morale high in the camp, and saying your own players are in the wrong is hardly helping.

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

Well whatever the situation, and manager HAS to defend their own players. Its part of the job to keep morale high in the camp, and saying your own players are in the wrong is hardly helping.

Well tbh, Even when he tries to do things right he's wrong.

Grunt sould have got tore into Riccy for that tackle. Our injury situation is already laughable and with several players going off to the ACON and now these suspensions hanging over us its left us very vulnerable.

I like Riccy a lot, but theres a time and a place to put your arm round a player and defend him, and that wasnt one of them. He went in with both feet off the ground. Theres is no excuse for what he done

[MikeCFC 45]

Grant must be the only one defending Ricky.Even Ricky himself knows it was wrong to do that challenge and lack of dicipline is the main factor.Another example of Grant undoing that fine,well oiled defence of our's.A defence that once had direction,organisation and dicipline.

Hopefully Cashley is successful in his appeal as his sending off was a pure joke.

[Elliott 7]

Guys I don't think he was completely defending him. He was just saying he didn't go into the tackle to hurt the player, because he knew people would come out and say that he did. We don't know that he didn't give Riccy a good rollocking in private. Public defence but private criticism is definitely the right way to go if you want to keep hold the respect of your squad.