Is Stamford Bridge a "hoodoo" venue for Newcastle United? It happens to be the toughest place to visit in the Premiership ... but not only for Newcastle.
And Joe Kinnear has banished any "hoodoo talk" as the Magpies go in against Chelsea at their bogey ground on Saturday.
The Bridge Has No Toon 'Hoodoo' - Says Joe!
By Nu Mad
Updated Saturday, 22nd November 2008
United have never won a Premier League game at the West London ground, and you have to go back 23 years to find their last win at Chelsea.
Kinnear: "Stamford Bridge has always been a bit of a lucky ground for me, as a player and manager.
"As you would have expected when I was with Spurs we often used to win at Chelsea.
"And I can remember winning there 4-2 as a manager with Wimbledon, and it has been quite a good place for me.
"Unless I've got it badly wrong, I'd assume you wouldn't have to gee your team up to play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge."
NEWCASTLE UTD v CHELSEA - PREMIERSHIP HISTORY
2007/2008 Mon 05 May Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Chelsea Premier League
Sat 29 Dec Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
2006/2007 Sun 22 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Chelsea Premiership
Wed 20 Dec Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea League Cup
Wed 13 Dec Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2005/2006 Sun 07 May Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea Premiership
Wed 22 Mar Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
Sat 19 Nov Chelsea 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2004/2005 Sun 15 May Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Chelsea Premiership
Sun 20 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Chelsea F.A. Cup
Sat 04 Dec Chelsea 4 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Wed 10 Nov Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Chelsea League Cup
after extra time, 90 minutes 0-0
2003/2004 Sun 25 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Chelsea Premiership
Sun 09 Nov Chelsea 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2002/2003 Sat 01 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Chelsea Premiership
Sat 14 Sep Chelsea 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2001/2002 Sat 29 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Chelsea Premiership
Wed 12 Dec Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. League Cup
Sun 19 Aug Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2000/2001 Wed 31 Jan Chelsea 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 09 Sep Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Chelsea Premiership
1999/2000 Sun 09 Apr Chelsea 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
played at Wembley
Sat 04 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea Premiership
Sat 11 Sep Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1998/1999 Sat 09 Jan Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Chelsea Premiership
Sat 22 Aug Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1997/1998 Sat 02 May Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Chelsea Premiership
Sat 27 Sep Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1996/1997 Wed 16 Apr Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Chelsea Premiership
Sat 23 Nov Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1995/1996 Wed 17 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Chelsea F.A. Cup
after extra time, 90 minutes 2-2, Chelsea won 4-2 on penalties
Sun 07 Jan Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
Sat 09 Dec Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 24 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Chelsea Premiership
1994/1995 Sat 01 Apr Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 10 Sep Newcastle Utd. 4 - 2 Chelsea Premiership
1993/1994 Mon 04 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Chelsea Premiership
Tue 28 Dec Chelsea 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
THE LAST THREE SEASONS - FOUR TRIPS TO FULHAM ROAD
2007/8 CHELSEA 2 NEWCASTLE UTD 1
CHLESEA: Hilario, Belletti, Alex, Ben-Haim, Bridge, Essien, Obi, Ballack (Sinclair 76), Wright-Phillips (Sidwell 90),J oe Cole (Pizarro 65), Kalou.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Ferreira.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Beye, Taylor, Cacapa, N'Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Faye, Smith (Rozehnal 70), Duff (Viduka 89), Martins (Owen 74).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Emre.
Salomon Kalou grabbed a controversial late winner as Avram Grant became the target for the Chelsea boo-boys for the first time since taking charge three months ago.
The Israeli coach, who replaced Jose Mourinho in September and who collected a new four-year contract two weeks ago, was singled out by the home fans after Chelsea left it late to overcome struggling Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.
Grant's second-half substitutions were met with chants of 'You don't know what you're doing' by the Blues faithful. It was the first time they had turned on the Israeli since he took charge.
Chelsea opened the scoring through Michael Essien in the first half and squandered a host of chances before Nicky Butt scrambled a 55th-minute equaliser.
United looked to have earned a point but Kalou tucked the ball home three minutes from the end after it had rebounded to him off Claudio Pizarro.
The United players were incensed the goal was awarded as the Ivory Coast striker looked to be in an offside position but their protests cut little ice with referee Mike Riley.
Chelsea should have taken the lead in the 10th minute Michael but Ballack, captain for the first time in his Blues career, skied his shot high into the crowed after good work by Michael Essien and Shaun Wright-Phillips had carved out the chance on the edge of the penalty area.
In the 14th minute, it was Chelsea's turn to survive a real scare when Butt found Obafemi Martins but the Newcastle striker delayed his shot and he allowed Alex to get back in time to deal with the danger.
Four minutes later Newcastle were thankful to Shay Given for keeping them on level terms. The United goalkeeper was forced to punch the ball to safety after Juliano Belletti's cross had found Kalou in space in the penalty area.
The Ivory Coast striker helped Given to pull off a fine save by firing his shot straight at him.
It took an even better save from Given to keep the home side out seconds later.
Mikel John Obi danced past two challenges on the edge of the penalty before hitting a shot that deflected off Butt.
The ball appeared to have looped over Given but the United keeper somehow twisted his body before pushing the ball away with his right hand.
Alex headed straight at Given in the 27th minute after rising highest to meet Belletti's inswinging free-kick.
A long throw-in on the right flank found its way across to the left where an unmarked Wright-Phillips scuffed a shot that rebounded off Kalou and into the path of Essien.
The Ghanaian international was just six yards out when the ball rolled to him and despite a despairing lunge by Steven Taylor and a late reaction by Claudio Cacapa, the Chelsea midfielder had the simple task of rolling the ball beyond a stranded Given for the 29th-minute opener.
Chelsea should have added a second but a fine clearance by Butt prevented Kalou from getting on the end of a cross from Wright-Phillips.
Wright-Phillips then sent a header wide of the target at the far post after Joe Cole's curling cross had found him unmarked.
Chelsea almost had a second straight from the re-start when Given was forced to make a flying save to keep out a clearance from team-mate Butt.
The Newcastle midfielder was racing back to cut out a cross from Wright-Phillips when he inadvertently sent the ball hurtling toward the roof of his own net.
United were level in the 55th minute thanks to Butt. Charles N'Zogbia got the better of Mikel on the left flank and pulled the ball back for Butt to scramble home past Wayne Bridge at the second attempt.
Seconds later Chelsea could have restored their advantage when a cross from Wright-Phillips was headed goal wards by Kalou only for the impressive Given to save.
Ballack then squandered another cross from Wright-Phillips by side-footing the ball straight at the United keeper from the edge of the penalty area.
Chelsea were now facing the prospect of their second home draw of the festive period and the fans left Grant in no doubt as to their feelings when he replaced Cole with Pizarro in the 65th minute.
More chants and boos followed when Ballack was replaced by Scott Sinclair but Kalou spared more agony for Grant by popping up with the decider in the 87th minute.
2006/7 CHELSEA 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
CHELSEA: Hilario, Geremi (Shevchenko 67), Carvalho (Makelele 46), Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Wright-Phillips (Drogba 46), Kalou, Robben.
Subs Not Used: Hedman, Bridge.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Huntington, Ramage, Taylor, Babayaro, Rossi, Butt, N'Zogbia (Pattison 44), Milner, Sibierski (Luque 78), Martins.
Subs Not Used: Srnicek, O'Brien, Edgar.
Didier Drogba climbed off the substitutes' bench to score the matchwinner for Chelsea against Newcastle and cut Manchester United's lead at the top of the Barclays Premiership to five points.
Drogba, left out of coach Jose Mourinho's starting line-up in a bid to rest a niggling hamstring injury, was forced into action at the interval after Chelsea had failed to break down Newcastle's injury-ravaged side.
The move paid off for the champions in the 74th minute when Drogba pounced for his 15th of the season and his ninth in the Premiership to take their unbeaten home sequence to 53 games.
It was an unfamiliar Chelsea line-up that had been given the task of overcoming a Newcastle side missing 12 first-team players through injury.
Andriy Shevchenko, Drogba and Claude Makelele were all forced to sit in the dugout behind coach Mourinho while Shaun Wright-Phillips, Salomon Kalou and Arjen Robben were charged with the task of taking the game to the Geordies.
Mourinho's decision appeared to be vindicated when Wright-Phillips just failed to convert a flick-on from Kalou inside the first three minutes.
Two minutes later a mazy run from Ivorian forward Kalou provided Frank Lampard with a shooting opportunity on the edge of the penalty area but the England midfielder failed to hit the target.
Mourinho's decision to switch from the midfield diamond to a 4-3-3 formation was clearly causing United some early consternation.
That was underlined yet further in the 11th minute when a smart move involving Michael Essien and Robben gave Kalou a clear shot on goal from 10 yards but again the accuracy was found wanting.
But it was Newcastle who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 16th minute when Antoine Sibierski hit the crossbar with a header from six yards after James Milner's corner had eluded the home defence.
The offside flag spared the blushes of the young Kalou on the half-hour when he got on the end of Robben's headed knock-down only to turn and fire over the crossbar from six yards.
But United were still a danger and Giuseppe Rossi emphasised the fact in the 34th minute when he sent a 25-yard drive flashing wide of Hilario's right-hand upright.
The on-loan Manchester United striker had been relatively quiet by his own standards but his opportunist effort was a warning to Chelsea that he had the necessary firepower to do his parent club a massive favour.
Chelsea were finding Newcastle's stubborn resistance somewhat frustrating and Mourinho spent much of the half berating his troops from the touchline.
The 4-3-3 formation, which had promised much success earlier in the contest, was clearly hampering the champions.
Newcastle's rookie side, which included a debutant right-back in Paul Huntington, coped adequately enough with the receding threat from Chelsea's front three.
Magpies boss Glenn Roeder was already without a dozen first-team players through injury when his squad was depleted yet further minutes before the break.
Charles N'Zogbia had to be stretchered off after a collision with Lampard and was replaced by another rookie in Matty Pattison.
Mourinho was obviously unimpressed with the contribution of Wright-Phillips as he was replaced at the start of the second half by Makelele.
Drogba was also back in action as a substitute for injured centre-back Ricardo Carvalho.
It took Drogba just two minutes to make his presence felt when he headed Robben's left-wing cross just wide of Shay Given's left-hand upright.
On the hour Robben almost broke the deadlock with a cheeky free-kick after Celestine Babayaro had felled Kalou on the right flank.
With the Newcastle defence expecting a cross into the centre, the Dutch winger curled the ball towards the near post and Given had to act quickly to keep it out.
Chelsea were now powering forward at every opportunity but the Newcastle rearguard refused to buckle under the onslaught. Their cause was helped by wayward shooting from Chelsea's Michael Ballack, whose 20-yard effort sailed high over the crossbar in the 63rd minute.
Chelsea almost paid for the wastefulness moments later when Essien skied a clearance towards his own goal and Hilario failed to collect it under pressure frm Obafemi Martins. Thankfully for the home side, Terry was on hand to tidy up and clear the danger.
But Chelsea finally broke the deadlock with an incisive move started by Robben. His pass into the penalty area was helped on by Shevchenko and Drogba pounced to provide the decisive finish.
2005/6 FA CUP - CHELSEA 1 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
CHELSEAL: Cudicini, Geremi, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Del Horno, Joe Cole (Essien 77), Makelele, Lampard, Duff (Wright-Phillips 68), Drogba, Gudjohnsen (Crespo 77).Subs Not Used: Cech, Huth.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Carr, Elliott, Ramage, Babayaro (Moore 52), Solano (Emre 70), Bowyer, Parker, Dyer, Ameobi, Shearer.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Faye, Clark.
Alan Shearer will end his Newcastle career without a trophy after Chelsea shattered his FA Cup fairytale in the quarter-finals at Stamford Bridge.
Dreams of Shearer ending his playing days with a Stanley Matthews-style happy ending proved unrealistic but Glenn Roeder's team simply did not have the power to match Jose Mourinho's double-chasers and they finished the game with 10 men after a harsh red card for Robbie Elliott in the last minute.
John Terry scored the only goal in the fourth minute to book the Blues into the last four along with Liverpool, West Ham and either Charlton or Middlesbrough.
Shearer will retire at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on 10 years as a Newcastle player. He will end it as the club's all-time record goalscorer, after breaking Jackie Milburn's long-standing record this season.
But he will not emulate Geordie legend Milburn by bringing the FA Cup back to Tyneside. Shearer's decade in black and white is destined to end in disappointment.
The only silverware he will have to show for one of the greatest careers in the modern era is a lone championship medal with Blackburn in 1995.
The FA Cup was his last hope. Shearer toiled away up front but was feeding on scraps as Chelsea dominated for long spells.
The Geordie hero, who now has 202 goals for the Magpies, was barely given a sniff by the excellent Terry and never tested Carlo Cudicini, in for Petr Cech.
Chelsea were on the rebound from a rare Premiership defeat at Fulham, on Sunday, and went ahead after only four minutes.
Mourinho had made seven changes to the team which started at Craven Cottage but it was his ever-present skipper Terry who made the early breakthrough from a left-wing corner.
Terry wriggled free of his marker Peter Ramage with a run to the near post, where he met Damien Duff's corner on the half-volley.
Ramage had been switched from right-back to central defence to cover for the error-prone Jean-Alain Boumsong, sent off against Liverpool on Sunday and banned from this game.
Nolberto Solano, on the post, stuck out a foot but only succeeded in helping the ball past goalkeeper Shay Given into the net.
Terry claimed it, sliding into the corner of the pitch on his knees to celebrate and it will go down as his fifth of the season.
It helped the Blues to relax. Despite their total dominance in the Premiership, Mourinho's men had come into the quarter-final on a run of only four wins in eight games.
Mourinho had held an inquest this week to keep his players on track for their league and FA Cup double.
He was concerned that complacency might wreck the dream but the early goal helped. Newcastle responded well with Scott Parker driving them on against his former club and Kieron Dyer back in the team, in the hole behind Shearer.
Lee Bowyer unleashed a drive which Cudicini could not hold and Chelsea were grateful for the awareness of Terry in defence. He beat Shearer to the rebound and bundled it behind, and Shearer's lunge for the ball only succeeded in clattering the England defender.
Solano went close from a free-kick and Shola Ameobi flashed a shot wide from long range.
Chelsea had chances to kill the tie, either side of half-time.
Two minutes before the break, Ricardo Carvalho connected with an inswinging free-kick from Frank Lampard but his defensive instincts took over and the centre-half's wayward shot looked more like a clearance.
Joe Cole jinked past Celestine Babayaro after the break but Given stood firm at his near post to push the shot behind. The corner fell kindly for Asier del Horno but the left-back, in for the suspended William Gallas, failed to control his shot and it ballooned high into the Matthew Harding Stand.
Eidur Gudjohnsen and Cole went close again and Glenn Roeder sent on Craig Moore for his Newcastle debut in a bid to bolster his creaking back-line.
Given also produced an excellent double save to deny Drogba twice. Former Rangers and Crystal Palace defender Moore has been injured since signing on a free last summer from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Moore was booked within seven minutes for handbags with Didier Drogba after a foul by Elliott on Cole.
Drogba and Ameobi were shown yellow cards but Elliott, booked in the first half, escaped without a second yellow.
Elliott kicked Cole in the back when the England midfielder was on the floor.
Referee Bennett let him off and then showed him a second yellow for an innocuous challenge on Shaun Wright-Phillips in the last minute.
Shearer's misery was completed when he was booked for arguing with the decision as his FA Cup dream died in west London.
2005/6 CHELSEA 3 NEWCASTLE UTD 0
CHELSEA: Cech, Johnson (Gallas 60), Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Del Horno, Makelele (Essien 13), Lampard, Gudjohnsen, Duff, Joe Cole, Crespo (Wright-Phillips 79).
Subs Not Used: Carlton Cole, Cudicini.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Ramage, Bramble, Boumsong, Babayaro, Solano (Chopra 70), Parker, Bowyer, Emre, N'Zogbia, Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Faye, Clark, Brittain.
Chelsea delivered the perfect response to their critics with an emphatic second-half display that crushed stubborn Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle had matched the reigning champions for effort and endeavour in a goalless opening half but strikes from Joe Cole and Hernan Crespo inside four minutes ensured that Chelsea restored their nine-point advantage at the top of the Barclays Premiership.
Damien Duff completed the scoring right on the final whistle when his shot was deflected over the luckless Shay Given.
Jose Mourinho, clearly infuriated by his side's recent dip in form, had made a number of significant changes with William Gallas and a partially fit Michael Essien relegated to the substitutes' bench along with winger Shaun Wright-Phillips. There was no place at all in the line-up for Paulo Ferreira.
The Portuguese coach opted to replace the latter with Glen Johnson at right back in what was only his second start of the season, while Ricardo Carvalho slotted into the centre of defence alongside skipper John Terry.
Didier Drogba's suspension was overcome by the choice of a fit-again Crespo as Chelsea looked to banish the defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out.
However, the home side were lucky to escape what appeared to be a valid penalty appeal in the fifth minute when Terry felled Lee Bowyer. But referee Rob Halsey turned down the appeals.
In the seventh minute, Claude Makelele needed lengthy treatment after a dangerously high tackle on former Blue Scott Parker and was replaced five minutes later by Essien. Chelsea survived a second penalty scare in between when Del Horno appeared to handle inside the area as Newcastle gave the champions a few restless moments.
However, Carvalho wasted the clearest chance to opening the scoring in the 18th minute when he rose unmarked in the area only to head Duff's free-kick wide of the target.
Frank Lampard, equalling David James's record of 159 consecutive appearances in the top flight, was unable to impose himself on the game and as a result, Newcastle had more than their fair share of possession in the opening period.
But the critics who claimed Chelsea were beginning to lose a bit of their self-belief would have been heartened by a display that lacked guile and style.
This was not the Chelsea that swept all before it on its way to the first top flight title in 50 years last season.
Indeed, their performance was a far cry from the team that went 40 matches unbeaten and only occasionally did Chelsea show any signs of their old swagger.
Mourinho resisted the urge to change his personnel during the interval, clearly hoping that his faith in the individuals that had failed to shine in the opening half would repay him.
His judgement was as astute as ever with Cole putting the Londoners in front two minutes into the second half.
Titus Bramble gave the ball away to Eidur Gudjohnsen and the Icelandic striker, playing in a midfield role behind Crespo, slotted the ball into the path of Cole who ran on to despatch a right-foot shot into the corner of the net for his fourth of the season.
The goal lifted the gloom surrounding Stamford Bridge and sent the previously mute home fans into full voice.
It was now all Chelsea as the familiar style and panache returned with their confidence and four minutes later they doubled their advantage.
This time the architect was Lampard who provided a trademark pass into Crespo's path after Essien had won the ball in midfield. The Argentine striker checked his run before turning to fire the ball into the top corner to deliver the perfect response to those critics who claim he is unhappy at the club.
It was Chelsea at their very best once more and the fight, so evident in the opening half, had now evaporated from Newcastle's game.
Mourinho made his second change of the game on the hour, again enforced, when he replaced the injured Johnson with William Gallas at right back.
Crespo was replaced by Wright-Phillips with just over 10 minutes of the game remaining as Chelsea continued to exploit the space they were now enjoying.
The home side were content to play the game out to its conclusion with Newcastle demonstrating very little threat in attack to worry Terry or Carvalho.
Indeed, Chelsea had the last word when Duff burst into the penalty area and his shot was deflected over Given for the third.
Interact with us
Previously
