Claudio Ranieri shouldered the blame as Chelsea suffered a major setback to their Champions League dream in Monaco. The Chelsea boss accepted his share of responsibility for the substitutions which backfired with the semi-final first leg seemingly in his team's hands.
With Monaco reduced to 10 men, and 37 minutes left, the self-confessed 'Tinkerman' replaced right-back Mario Melchiot with a third striker in Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink and went for victory.
However, Monaco responded by punishing Chelsea for their adventure on the counter-attack and Fernando Morientes and substitute Shabani Nonda completed a 3-1 first-leg victory.
Ranieri admitted: 'With one player more, we wanted to win the match but we lost the plot in the last 15 minutes.
'The players all wanted to do something but in the wrong way as they ran with the ball rather than playing to our three strikers.
'But I would never fault the players. It's my fault. I accept this as I have been in football for 30 years.
'I made the changes because I was sure it was the best thing for the team.'
Ranieri admitted that Chelsea, for whom Hernan Crespo had equalised a Dado Prso first-half header, now have merely a '20 per cent' chance of reaching the final.
However, he made no comment on allegations of play-acting against Claude Makelele for his part in Andreas Zikos' dismissal.
And he was similarly unforthcoming amid television evidence that could lead to a UEFA investigation of Marcel Desailly for an apparent elbow on Morientes.
'I didn't see what happened,' insisted Ranieri.
'Of course, I don't feel good now but Monaco played well and deserved to win.'
Ranieri's opposite number, Monaco coach Didier Deschamps, described his 10-man side's victory as extraordinary.
Deschamps said his team were spurred by the apparently unfair sending off of midfielder Andreas Zicos in the 52nd minute.
'They reacted with a great effort. It was something extraordinary what they did scoring two goals. Exceptional,' said Deschamps, a former France captain and Chelsea midfielder.
Deschamps, who said Monaco won the tactical battle this time, added he felt Ranieri's 20 per cent odds were too generous.
'He's an astute coach. He knows how to put pressure on his opponents,' Deschamps said with a wry smile.
'I would say we have a 51 per cent advantage.' Deschamps said the return at Stamford Bridge on May 5 would be a completely different style of match.
'But we won't go just to defend. We will be looking for a balance.'
he's certainly a bigger man than I am
i would've just blamed Gronjkaer and Gudjonsen
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=297786&cc=3436
With Monaco reduced to 10 men, and 37 minutes left, the self-confessed 'Tinkerman' replaced right-back Mario Melchiot with a third striker in Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink and went for victory.
However, Monaco responded by punishing Chelsea for their adventure on the counter-attack and Fernando Morientes and substitute Shabani Nonda completed a 3-1 first-leg victory.
Ranieri admitted: 'With one player more, we wanted to win the match but we lost the plot in the last 15 minutes.
'The players all wanted to do something but in the wrong way as they ran with the ball rather than playing to our three strikers.
'But I would never fault the players. It's my fault. I accept this as I have been in football for 30 years.
'I made the changes because I was sure it was the best thing for the team.'
Ranieri admitted that Chelsea, for whom Hernan Crespo had equalised a Dado Prso first-half header, now have merely a '20 per cent' chance of reaching the final.
However, he made no comment on allegations of play-acting against Claude Makelele for his part in Andreas Zikos' dismissal.
And he was similarly unforthcoming amid television evidence that could lead to a UEFA investigation of Marcel Desailly for an apparent elbow on Morientes.
'I didn't see what happened,' insisted Ranieri.
'Of course, I don't feel good now but Monaco played well and deserved to win.'
Ranieri's opposite number, Monaco coach Didier Deschamps, described his 10-man side's victory as extraordinary.
Deschamps said his team were spurred by the apparently unfair sending off of midfielder Andreas Zicos in the 52nd minute.
'They reacted with a great effort. It was something extraordinary what they did scoring two goals. Exceptional,' said Deschamps, a former France captain and Chelsea midfielder.
Deschamps, who said Monaco won the tactical battle this time, added he felt Ranieri's 20 per cent odds were too generous.
'He's an astute coach. He knows how to put pressure on his opponents,' Deschamps said with a wry smile.
'I would say we have a 51 per cent advantage.' Deschamps said the return at Stamford Bridge on May 5 would be a completely different style of match.
'But we won't go just to defend. We will be looking for a balance.'
he's certainly a bigger man than I am
i would've just blamed Gronjkaer and Gudjonsen
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=297786&cc=3436
