Watching Chelsea ‘play’ (around) in the last two matches has evoked emotions difficult to describe.Its a feeling that a tight rope walker would have when crossing over from the top of one 20 floor building to another on a rope with his eyes blinded.So much for adventure and excitement. Actually the performer of the act always knows he is safe and shall safely reach the other side. So in spite of all the drama and craziness that happened on the night of 15th April at the Bridge, somewhere there was always a feeling of reassurance and sadistic intuition about the final result. In spite of the cliches ‘History repeats itself’, ‘Law of Averages’, ‘Liverpool has done it before’ being hurled at you with relative carelessness and abandoned restraint by the novice Ten Sports panel.
Primarily because all that happened to Chelsea in the match was self inflicted.Both success and failure.
The story of the first half of the match was not as much a story of Liverpool as much a story of Chelsea.We started with a mindset of protecting our first leg advantage – a syndrome which has been the undoing of many a team in the past. Ask Milan. So Chelsea sat back and let Liverpool enjoy the freedom that a ‘Nothing to lose’ situation brings with it. Our star studded midfield trio of Lampard, Ballack and Essien were being dominated by a Liverpool midfield minus Stevie G (which would otherwise equate to mediocre). We seemed to be playing around and not playing. Unforgiveable.
And Benitez seems to have told his players – ‘If you cant get the ball (which would have happened more often than not), get the man’. Mascherano was doing a Gattuso. He would have kicked the player more number of times than the ball. Skrtel, Carragher were intent on inflicting a life threatening injury on atleast one of our players. Liverpool looked more frustrated than determined. So rightly said mate -‘Stoneage Football’… in a way.
There was however one outstanding player-Xabi Alonso.He was controlling the midfield… because we let him. To add to the woes Petr Cech seems to have been fishing a lot of late. So the first 2 goals that Liverpool scored were more due to our mistakes than some sudden brilliance by Liverpool. Liverpool as a team always play correct football and not beautiful football. They depend more on your mistakes than their creativity. The first 2 goals of the first half bear testimony to it. A free kick and a penalty. The free kick to a Lampard foul found Peter Cech embarrasingly out of position. The second goal to a foul by Ivanovic in the box. Now about the penalty. I totally agree with the referee’s decision. You cannot hold and bring down a player within the box(even though the way the players go down in the box makes u believe that they are stoned). But you have to be consistent. 2 minutes later when Ivanovic makes a trip to the other end with a brilliant run, he is just pushed away by Carragher. No foul given.
So Chelsea were shaken up in the first half.The last minute clearance off the line by Essien was the saving grace. I don’t know what was said in those 10 minutes. Guus Hiddink sure didnt look delighted in the sidelines for the 1st 45 minutes. And I feel that he let each and every player understand that. Because the story of the second half is the story we are used to more often.
Chelsea came out a side rejuvented. The second half football played by Chelsea was sexy, superb and seductive – I am short of adjectives here. Drogba just led the way. Anelka was threatening. He made an excellent run on the right and crossed the ball from an acute angle and Drogba flicked the ball from an impossibly acute angle. Even Reina didn’t see it coming and fumbled the ball into the net on a night of nightmares for the goal keepers. Absolutely brilliant by Drogba.
Slowly but surely, Lampard, Malouda and others raised their levels to Chelsea like and Liverpool looked out of sorts totally.And then we had an adrenaline pumping moment. Alexxxxxxxxxxxxxx!!! Iam sure every soccer fan around the world would have had goosebumps at that free kick. Sheer power. It wasn’t that the ball curled like the banana kick of Roberto Carlos or was into the top corner of the net. Alex just ran and hit it HARD near the center. More like the Riiisaaaaaaaaaaaaa(e) moment for Liverpool a few years back. And then it was Frank Lampard who scored a wonderful third with some clinical finishing. This part of the Chelsea comeback deserves a special mention of Florent Malouda who played brilliantly. Infact he made an excellent run and dribbled past two Liverpool defenders to create a milk and rice chance for Ballack who missed.Then he made that assist to Lampard for the goal.
The 3rd goal seemed to have settled some nerves at the Bridge. Everyone seemed to have got the full worth of their money. The match would have anyway been one of the matches of the season. Each and every Chelsea player was at the top of his game; except for Petr Cech who continued fumbling and mistiming. But the match had much much more to it. So much more to self actualize a soccer maniac and make the match one of the classics of the Champions League.
Liverpool showed great resilience and fightback to score two goals in 3 minutes through Dirk Kuyt and Lucas. Lucas was one other player who had a great match and deservedly scored. So about 11 minutes to go. And the bridge had its heart in its mouth. One more goal and Liverpool would go through on the away goals rule. This is what makes the Champions League so special. Nerve wracking moments.
Chelsea which had started getting slightly complacent after the 3rd goal once again had to wake up from its slumber. Guus Hiddink looked pissed again. John Terry in the stands looked worried. The chants of ‘Chelsea Chelsea’ grew louder at the Bridge.
And it was motivation enough.
Cometh the hour cometh the man. Frank Lampard, the demi-God in such situations, scored his second and amazingly, the 8th goal of the match. Drogba’s reassuring gesture to the crowd finally saved the lives of a lot of us-weak at the heart.4-4 it was and 4-4 it finished.One step closer John Terry.
Its nice that we face the tournament favourites in the semis. It would leave us in good stead for the finals in Rome. Arsenal is a good side. But we would love to have Manchester United.
To settle some scores. And to settle the debate. Once and for all.
Have to disagree….this Liverpool is anything but a team that thrives on other’s mistakes….
23 goals in 6 games is a lot of mistakes….
We are just playing really well…..
Just hate that badge kisser – Frank Lumpturd….makes my blood boil….mark my words, we would have probably won if Gerrard had been fit for the second half.
Dude one question.who would you have played Gerrard for?Lucas – the guy who produced a stellar performance??
Secondly,I guess there was another guy who was missing – a person by the name of John Terry isnt it?? So I guess the result was fair enough.
good one bro…..a team is only as strong as its weakest link……Cech looked out of sorts throughout the game….also against Bolton. he seems to be runnin thru a bad patch.
I dont think Gerrard wod have done much had he been fit…..i am sure he was fit but Rafa thot that the result was a foregone conclusion….cuz a player of his caliber wod wana play on such a big stage….it not the whole 90 mins then probably 60 or 30.
bad mistake by Rafa.
neways there are always if’s and but’s and sore loseres always some up with all the excuses in the world. end of the day wht matters is the results.
Blue is the colour…:-)
Thanks Nachi!!! Great to see u here.And I feel Gerrard or no Gerrard,Chelsea would have been through.Coz the guy who came in for Gerrard-Lucas played extremely well.
even though “blues” have won de match… through to the semis… but i feel.. liverpool culd hv got through… u get de sympathy like manu gets after “beatin” porto…u guys won… but not de deserved ones…
Cmon VC.Typical gunner aint u??
A win is a win. From Cricket to Carrom to Football to ghilli-dhanda the rule stays the same. Its no different in Football mate. You create 1 million chances and convert one and your opponents create 2 and score both. They deserve to win it. As an Arsenal fan, i thought you would have gotten used to very similar taunts. But apparently you havent. VC…VC…Very Comical.