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Chelsea 2 Bradford City 4: No one would have predicted Bantams would be the team to end Blues quadruple chase - but it was deserved

League Two side performed as well as any who have come to Stamford Bridge this season

Simon Johnson
Saturday 24 January 2015 18:56 GMT
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Manager Phil Parkinson applauds the Bradford support
Manager Phil Parkinson applauds the Bradford support (Getty Images)

There were a lot of great teams that stood in Chelsea's way of winning an historic quadruple. From Real Madrid in the Champions League, Manchester City in the Premier League and currently Liverpool in the Capital One Cup One Cup.

No-one, not even the 6,000 strong travelling Bradford support, would have dreamed, imagined, fantasised that Chelsea's bid for four trophies would collapse against a League One outfit in the FA Cup Fourth Round today.

This will go down as one of the great shocks of recent years. The fact that Bradford managed to do it from two goals down made it even more remarkable, if that's possible.

Truth is, it was a win they thoroughly deserved. Chelsea were outplayed for long periods, despite goals from Gary Cahill and Ramires putting them initially, on the surface, in control.

The scoreline was deceptive and Chelsea looked disjointed, perhaps because Mourinho had made nine changes to his starting line-up.

Once Jonathan Stead fired in a superb goal just before half-time to get the visitors back in the tie, the visitors had the upper hand.

An equaliser from Filipe Morais, who was making his first appearance at Stamford Bridge having been left the club nine years ago without getting an opportunity to do so, surely was as good as it could get.

But incredibly Bradford would score twice more through Andy Halliday and substitute Mark Yeates to leave those in blue totally and utterly shellshocked.

One has to remember that Chelsea have not lost at home to anyone all season and boast a 100 per cent record at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

While celebrated in Yorkshire, this result will put Chelsea under huge pressure ahead of a massive week ahead.

They play the second leg of the League Cup at home to Liverpool on Tuesday night before hosting Manchester City in a potential title decider four days later.

Mourinho said beforehand that it would be a 'disgrace' if Chelsea lost to Bradford.

How he has come to eat those words and how Bradford's supporters rubbed his nose in it. 'Sacked in the morning' they cried in unison, followed by 'easy, easy'.

The Special One did also say it would be easier to win the title if they were knocked out of all the cup competitions. There is no way he is feeling like that now. This is the kind of defeat that can derail a whole season.

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