Liverpool 1-2 Chelsea (Veron, Owen[p], JFH)
Rather fittingly, Gerrard was suspended for the game due to the red card he got at SB. Hamann was also out and Pool were left with a CM pairing of Murphy and Biscan.
If it wasn't at Anfield I'd have expected a win - our team is just much better than theirs on paper. However a once-in-43 years win there with a refurbished line-up seemed out of the question.
Many chatters were spot on with TInker Man's chosen formation and line-up: 4-2-3-1 Cudicini, Bridge, Dessa, Terry, Johnson, Duff, Lamps, Veron, Geremi, Gronk and Guddy up front alone.
RA was there - and when they flashed his image on the screen I felt embarrassed that he would be witnessing our annual collapse at Anfield.
Pool were straight out of the blocks. Rather unusually they attacked immediately. Heskey received the ball with ample space in the box but curiously chose to pass to the onrushing Murphy instead. Murphy's fierce low shot was excellently deflected to safety by Cudicini, who did brilliantly not just in blocking it but in carefully palming the ball to the side.
Chelsea looked confused in midfield in these early stages. Pool dominated and had many good chances, including one where Kewell left Terry for dead and tried to lob Cudicini, the ball just flying past the far post with an unmarked Owen bemoaning Kewell's selfishness. In another incident, Owen found space from an unfavourable angle to unleash a fierce shot that Cudicini blocked.
Thus it was a complete surprise when, immediately after switching flanks with Duff, Gronks' cross from the right round an unmarked Veron, who lashed it into the net with Guddy frantically pedalling backwards out across the face of goal to avoid blocking the shot. Our only shot on target thus far, but how effective it was.
Pool were a bit deflated after that - Chelsea started to improve in midfield. We has to survive more Pool attacks though. A through ball for Owen left the defence flat-footed and Cudicini came to the rescue again, diving for the ball at his feet, slowing Owen down but failing to keep hold of the ball, upon which he dived in again with his feet and the ball was finally cleared to safety.
Veron shower why Ranieri wanted him when on a swift counter-attack, he unleashed a perfect throughball to leave Guddy one on one with Dudek with the Pool defenders left far behind. Guddy tried to lift the ball over Dudek but it his his shoulder and bounced out for a corner. Huge disappointment, and the cameras focussed on RA's reactions again.
Chelsea were far more stable in the second half. JFH replace the ineffectual and dejected Guddy (Mutu's international clearance had failed to arrive in time). Pool doggedly persisted, but Chelsea's defence was solid as usual despite the absence of the half-fit Gallas. When Diouf came on he created all sorts of problems for Johnson. It still tool a penalty, and one involving much controversy at that, for Pool to score. Bridge pulled Diouf back as Diouf turned away at lightning speed from him, making for an easy penalty decision. Owen hit it well wide, and the cameras were flashing GH's red-faced sputter when mayhem broke out. The referee Steve Benett had ruled that Cudicini had moved off his line and the penalty was to be retaken. Cudicini was incredulous and the referee was surrounded by a fuming phalanx of Chelsea players, but eventually everyone went back to await their fate, and Owen duly delivered. 80th minute equaliser, and I settled back to await the customary injury time winner, probably from Dudek or something.
Before this happened we had put Pool under the cosh for an extended period of time. An excellent cross from Birdge was just missed by Duff, and Dudek saved well from a typical long-range Lamps effort. After the goal we picked up where we had left off. Cole for Duff and Gallas for Johnson. Constant pressure resulted in a series of corners that contained some hair-raising ricochets. Around the 85th minute I was thinking that Chelsea scoring in the next 5 minutes would be such an absolutely amazing event that it was simply not possible. Shortly after that thought flashed through my mind a hopeful Lamps cross was well controlled by JFH, who then unleashed a trademark low right foot shot that passed Dudek... and into the net. Good grief. We pulled through the last 2 minutes of normal time and the 3 minutes of injury time, and finally. Better than witnessing Halley's Comet. A Chelsea win at Anfield!! RA laughing, clapping and being congratulated (what a great first match for him... though he would have better appreciated it if he had gone through our past travails at Anfield). Dejected Scousers trying to think of reasons to keep GH. I can't fecking believe it. More relief than joy.
