About 3 and a half months back, Chelsea had sunk to depths where not many people would have put their money on us to finish with any kind of silverware. But things did change in these past 3 and a half months. Guus Hiddink has done wonders to a side which had been demoralised by the whims and fancies of a certain Luiz Scolari. For his role in revitalising Didier Drogba, guiding the Blues to a semi final slot in the Champions League where they all but beat the best side in the world and helping Chelsea reach the FA cup final, the Blues owe a lot to the great man. Wembley shall be Guus’s last match as the Chelsea coach. Its payback time to Guus Hiddink.
Everton has been a tough nut to crack this season. They have managed 2 draws against us in the 2 premier league games against them. David Moyes has done wonders with a side with the kind of budget he has and has twice been named the LMA Manager of the year now. He has done some awesome work with players like Phil Jagielka and Lescott, two of the finds of the premiership this season. His role in getting the best out of Leighton Baines is again commendable. And Tim Cahill is always a threat to any side these days. To the Merseyside Blues, who have restricted the True Blues to 4 less points in the Premiership season, its payback time.
There have been a section of fans ( including some who have put their comments here ) who have undermined the importance of the FA Cup. Well, like they say, Ignorance is bliss. There is another section of fans who have used terms like negative football and anti football for the way Chelsea played against Barcelona. The sheer logic of the ADOPTED system was reflected in the way Barcelona thrashed Manchester United in the finals ( not to forget the demolition of the poor Madrid and the real Madrid in the Spanish Premiera ). To quote things from one of the humbled players in the match:
“I cannot explain. We, the players, were not well, the tactics were not good… everything went wrong.
“We have to give credit to Barcelona, but they were a bit lucky to be here because Chelsea did not deserve to lose and no-one has mentioned that.
“I have to congratulate Barcelona, they were better, but football is just like this: only the winners get talked about.”
The player is by the way called Cristiano Ronaldo. So Manchester United fans might as well reserve their wrath for their very own prodigy. And sometimes I wonder how the tackles made by the Ronaldo on Puyol, Vidic on Messi and Scholes on don’t remember who which displayed nothing but frustration, cannot be quoted as anti football and unethical. Even though the Barcelona match had been a superb strategic system adopted by Chelsea, some of these anti-fans labelled it as anti football and Chelsea as a defensive side – the team which put 7 past Liverpool in 2 legs and 4 past Arsenal recently. Defensive??? Even though it would hardly make a difference to their stubbornness, its payback time to this section of the crowd.
Considering the superb form of Malouda, Anelka and our defense, I would go for a 2-0 win for Chelsea.
Despite all his brilliance, Ronaldo has not grown up one bit over the last two years. Towards the end of the match, his behavior was identical to his behavior on losing to Milan, when he generally made a nuisance of himself by fouling. He had earned himself a yellow card in that match too (and was suspended for the first match of the 07-08 season)!
Scholes, I have nothing to say about that tackle. Frustration, of ending up with a treble after dreaming of the quadruple and quintuple!
@ Aps :
Unethical, totally! You cannot fly in and almost end someone’s career with a badly timed, rash taclke out of frustration.
Anti-football – NO. Anti-football is a strategy used by cerrtain teams with the intention of suffocating their opponents through strategic tackles and fouls. In anti-football, the team plays eleven men behind the half-line, and has no intention to score.
What some of the United showcased towards the end was unethical, bad sportsman-like behavior. But, wrestling the ‘king of anti-football’ crown away from Chelsea is quite impossible.
@Kedar – Dude I respect ur objectivity in criticising the fouls commited by Manchester United.
And there is a difference in opinion that the 2 of us have about the way a team should play and it seems that neither of us can convince the other anytime soon.
Yes, if you have to put 11 men behind the ball for a certain match in order to take advantage of the more favourable second leg, be it that way in my opinion. Chelsea did it for ONE match and I dont see anything wrong with it because they came back strongly in the 2nd leg and outplayed Barcelona. If you found elements of your so called anti football even in the 2nd leg, well I would beg to differ. Yes going for life threatening tackles on purpose is unethical. But if playing defensively for 1 match to drive home some kinda advantage against this Barcelona side makes you ‘the king of anti football’, I would still call it a case of naive generalisation.
@ Aps :
No anti-football in the scond leg, Chelsea played the way they normally play, aeriel football, hold-up play by Drogba. I’m not a great fan of the long ball, but it’s the way they play.
What really got me so worked up about that match was the way Hiddink approached the game. I do believe Chelsea’s squad has talent (that’s why they’re so fuckin’ expensive!) and when Hiddink promised goals, most (if not all) did expect a cracker of a match. When all we saw was 21 people in the Chelsea side of the field, it was more than a major let-down.
And, if you do adopt a rather negative strategy, why not accept it? To go about saying that it’s a difference in culture, and acting like everything is normal was a little disappointing.
Besides, congrats on the FA Cup. Didn’t watch the match, but all reports seem to be praising the farewell to Hiddink.
“In anti-football the team inflicts strategic tackles and fouls on their opponents and has no intention to score. (see also : man utd against barcelona in CL finals 2009)” Right Kedar??
PS Kedar: You are a joke. You obviously have little knowledge of football, and even less so of English football. Pussies like you are better off supporting arsenal or barcelona for their pretty, cheeky passes and flicks, and start whining when going gets a bit rough. Better still, watch the arsenal ladies team, ‘beautiful’ football and they win trophies too.
You are ridiculous…oh wait you are maddy.
keyur, better go clean out those anal warts cos you stink. why do you insist on drawing me into fights dude? why don’t you just mind your own shit cos this is pretty pissing off. now atleast if u spoke some sense it’d be alright dude. really.
@ Keyur :
Dude, you are the epitome of an assinine twit. It’s a wonder that you can even type, considering your IQ will struggle to reach the double-digit mark.
Using all of your footballing acumen (that seems to desert you everytime you as much as touch your keyboad) please explain (for the benefit of us mortals) why a team who is down by a goal will adopt a strategy that results in no further goals being scored by either team? And if you thought the first ten minutes were negative, then I think you’ve pretty much made it clear to all of us you were watching last year’s highlights!
I mean, I can understand the accusation against their approach in the semi-finals last year, but this accusation just brings to light your grasp on the intricacies of the game. How can you be such an idiot? Have you been watching some recording of last year’s semi-finals?
“Pussies like you are better off supporting arsenal or barcelona for their pretty, cheeky passes and flicks, and start whining when going gets a bit rough.”
Apparently, your guardian angel with his cash likes this cheeky football too. News has it that he was not particularly thrilled by Mourinho’s defensive tactics, and he wanted some manager who will bring flair to the team. Obviously, you haven’t graduated from just opening up the sports section to see colourful photographs.
You wouldn’t have had to put that much effort into typing had you understood sarcasm Kedar, but then again its you so I’m not surprised.
And Mourinho’s departure was not due to Roman’s disillusion with his playing style. Its all hyped up in the media. It had more to do with their personal relationship and some internal politics. Hiddink’s team did not play with the so-called flair, but you never heard Roman being not happy did you?? I don’t understand what is it with you. If you have ever watched and appreciated football, then you would surely know there are different styles of playing and the barca-way is not the only way. Just because you get some orgasmic pleasure in watching that style does not mean others play anti-football. That way all of Italian teams play anti-football, and the scottish sides are probably criminals just to be on the pitch out there. Or, maybe its just your personal mission to wake up every single day and criticise Chelsea for whatever they do. Either way, you need to grow up kid.
Keyur,
That was a very poor attempt at being sarcastic I beleive Narasimha Rao.P.V can produce better moments than those .So the next time you want to sound sarcastic you might have to give a warning of some sort. So that people dont over-estimate your inability to comprehend Man Utd’s football and expend their energy and time to try to make you understand.
That said, i agree with you on the fact that Abramovich’s tendancy towards football with flair thing has been more than made up by the media. Had it been like that, we would certainly have not seen a certain Ancelotti to be a favorite for the vacant position at Stamford Bridge.
Well, when Scolari was first brought in to manage the squad, the headlines (I think in sportinglife) said something along the lines of Abromovich wants to win the League playing the football that United have been playing. It was the summer after United had broken Chelsea’s hold on the League title.
In fact, when Chelsea decimated someone 5-0 playing some brilliant football, wasn;t that the whole celebration? A kind of ‘shut up’ to all the critics of the style of football they had made their own?
And for the rest of the stuff I have to say but don’t have the enthusiasm to drive through that thick skull of yours, read my reply to Aps comment above.
PS : Fine display of sarcasm indeed. Maybe, when I become around 105 and slightly demented, I might be able to appreciate your sarcasm.
Kedar,
Stop making a fool of yourself by crapping your way ta Glory.
“And for the rest of the stuff I have to say but don’t have the enthusiasm to drive through that thick skull of yours…”
give excuses kid. give. i know sissies like you are not at all capable of giving a satisfactory reply.
“And for the rest of the stuff I have to say but don’t have the enthusiasm to drive through that thick skull of yours, read my reply to Aps comment above.”
Are you that stupid that you couldn’t scroll up and read the reply to Aps’ comment?
Maybe, you are..
Just curious.. Is this the Keyur of the Keyurism fame? Or the imposter keyur fame?
Keyurism only da. The impostor (who is better than the original has a grouse only with his namesake)
Hey, hey, hey Maddy. Don’t blame me. The suspicion was overwhelming !!
And we don’t have any fights here. Don’t get so worked up. Its all just friendly banter.
But hey, what was “now atleast if u spoke some sense it’d be alright dude” all about, huh ?? I expected something funnier from you. Take some rest maddy…you just saw Chelsea win…again !!!
Errr, I agree with Maddy…I dont understand why Arsenal was dragged into this argument. Arsenal plays the sweet football with cheap players and that is why some of us appreciate it more than the others.
Chelsea won yesterday, but with a squad that costs almost as much as two years’ worth of the Arsenal squad , you would definitely have expected them to demolish Everton completely.
With all respect to Arsenal and Chelsea, do not write-off David Moyes and Everton so easily. They have been in the top 7 or so consistently and have pulled off quite a few upsets over the years.
And, Cup finals can sway either way..
kedar….despite being a loyal gunner… i do not write off any club , esp after losing to hull this season. cup finals CAN sway either way like we saw last year.
but you do have favs to win a match every match….and just looking at chelsea’s worth my say is that it should be chelsea every time. dunno why i am saying that here now. guess that is how it goes with blog comments. u start with one thing and u end up fighting about saying something totally different. just like the last 4 lines.
point noted