Chelsea 4-1 Crystal Palace
Chelsea 4 Crystal Palace 1: Cole sparkles for rampant Blues
Rob Hughes at Stamford Bridge
THE spring bulbs are out, things are hotting up, and Chelsea are very nearly in full bloom for their first Championship in 50 years. But, do not discard Crystal Palace, a team of doughty fighters, and their chances of sustaining Premiership football next season.
Nobody can deny that Chelsea, with their deep reserves of talent and their willingness to fight for the right to impose it, will go past the winning post within a month.
Iain Dowie, the Palace manager, admitted: “If we defend like we did on the first and fourth goals we’re going to concede. But this Chelsea side is capable of winning in so many different ways; defend and they can grind it out, attack them and they become flamboyant.”
The one description that will never explain a side managed by Dowie is lambs to the slaughter. They may have travelled 10 away games in all competitions without victory before arriving at Stamford Bridge yesterday, but while their energy levels are high so is their desire.
With sleeves rolled up, they attempted to take the game to the home side. Even so, with frequently nine Palace players garrisoned defiantly around their own box, Chelsea managed to eke out the lead. With Frank Lampard in your colours, you have a guarantee of something spectacular. Yesterday was his 300th Premiership appearance, the 138th consecutive time he has played for Chelsea in the top flight. And on 29 minutes, it was his 41st goal in a Chelsea shirt. The essence of Palace is that every man does his bit, everyone tackles back, regardless of position. But in that moment, Wayne Routledge failed to give the required cover for Emmerson Boyce, and when the ball was pulled back outside the penalty area, there was Lampard. Palace failed to mark him tightly enough and he had time for a touch to control the ball, turn his body, and the skill to propel the ball high into the net.
How would Palace respond? Their supporters had lost voice, lost heart, until something of a freak goal happened three minutes before half-time. Rout-ledge aimed in a corner from the left, Lampard made a hash of clearing it, and when the ball ricocheted off his heel Aki Riihilahti claimed the final touch in the ensuing chaos.
And now, tasting the blood of Chelsea, chasing what would be the biggest upset of the season, Palace piled forward and with the last kick of the first half, Andy Johnson had the chance to add to his remarkable goal tally this season; 41,667 people in the stadium thought he couldn’t miss, but Johnson took one touch too many and, off-balance, screwed the ball so wide of the far post that it was embarrassing.
And how now would Chelsea show their wrath? They have, as we know, two of everything and in a moment that personified the combative nature of the game, when Tom Soares literally got to grips with Glen Johnson, he ripped the shirt right off the shoulder of the Chelsea defender. Instantly, slickly, Chelsea produced a replacement in a blue shirt in Johnson’s name from the dugout. Riches will buy you almost anything.
Good will, however, might be difficult to achieve alongside the touchlines. Hiding under an anonymous pseudonym, someone wrote in the match programme: “The trouble with Britain is that corruption, immorality and cruelty, describe our media. Media in Britain is about profit, not truth.” That was a response to the outcry in Europe, indeed around the world, that Chelsea have disgraced their season by irresponsible comments from Jose Mourinho that caused the premature retirement of a referee who he insinuated had “influenced” the Champions League match in Barcelona.
In the second period Chelsea waited for Palace to run out of steam. In the 54th minute Joe Cole, once again mixing tenacity with the gifts that were nurtured at the West Ham academy, put Chelsea ahead for the second and decisive time. In a sweeping move Eidur Gudjohnsen supplied the final pass and Cole, unmarked, stepped into the penalty area and with his right foot guided the ball low inside the far upright. Cole, hoping to be very much involved with England this week, said: “I think I ’ve always been able to produce it in flashes but, here, I think I’ve found my team. The management want more out of me. I’m playing well and a lot and around me I see so many great players. The important thing in a footballer is to be versatile and, this season. I’ve learned to be tactically aware and efficient. Finishing the 90 minutes makes a massive difference to me. I feel fitter and stronger than I did before.”
When the substitutes came on, although the loudest cheer of the afternoon was for the return of Arjen Robben, it was Mateja Kezman who twice added to the scoreline. They were the easiest brace of goals he will score. The first, seconds after he had taken the field was a low cross from the left that Gabor Kiraly allowed through his hands, knees and legs over his goalline.
That howler from an otherwise decent keeper was punished further in the 90th minute when, after three shots had been blocked in front of the goal, Kezman stole in to scuff the ball into the net.
STAR MAN: Joe Cole (Chelsea)
Player ratings. Chelsea: Cech 7, Johnson 6, Carvalho 7, Terry 6, Ferreira 6, Makelele 6, Lampard 7, Cole 8, Gudjohnsen 7 (Kezman 77min,7), Duff 6 (Robben 73min,6), Drogba 6 (Tiago 62min,6)
Rob Hughes at Stamford Bridge
THE spring bulbs are out, things are hotting up, and Chelsea are very nearly in full bloom for their first Championship in 50 years. But, do not discard Crystal Palace, a team of doughty fighters, and their chances of sustaining Premiership football next season.
Nobody can deny that Chelsea, with their deep reserves of talent and their willingness to fight for the right to impose it, will go past the winning post within a month.
Iain Dowie, the Palace manager, admitted: “If we defend like we did on the first and fourth goals we’re going to concede. But this Chelsea side is capable of winning in so many different ways; defend and they can grind it out, attack them and they become flamboyant.”
The one description that will never explain a side managed by Dowie is lambs to the slaughter. They may have travelled 10 away games in all competitions without victory before arriving at Stamford Bridge yesterday, but while their energy levels are high so is their desire.
With sleeves rolled up, they attempted to take the game to the home side. Even so, with frequently nine Palace players garrisoned defiantly around their own box, Chelsea managed to eke out the lead. With Frank Lampard in your colours, you have a guarantee of something spectacular. Yesterday was his 300th Premiership appearance, the 138th consecutive time he has played for Chelsea in the top flight. And on 29 minutes, it was his 41st goal in a Chelsea shirt. The essence of Palace is that every man does his bit, everyone tackles back, regardless of position. But in that moment, Wayne Routledge failed to give the required cover for Emmerson Boyce, and when the ball was pulled back outside the penalty area, there was Lampard. Palace failed to mark him tightly enough and he had time for a touch to control the ball, turn his body, and the skill to propel the ball high into the net.
How would Palace respond? Their supporters had lost voice, lost heart, until something of a freak goal happened three minutes before half-time. Rout-ledge aimed in a corner from the left, Lampard made a hash of clearing it, and when the ball ricocheted off his heel Aki Riihilahti claimed the final touch in the ensuing chaos.
And now, tasting the blood of Chelsea, chasing what would be the biggest upset of the season, Palace piled forward and with the last kick of the first half, Andy Johnson had the chance to add to his remarkable goal tally this season; 41,667 people in the stadium thought he couldn’t miss, but Johnson took one touch too many and, off-balance, screwed the ball so wide of the far post that it was embarrassing.
And how now would Chelsea show their wrath? They have, as we know, two of everything and in a moment that personified the combative nature of the game, when Tom Soares literally got to grips with Glen Johnson, he ripped the shirt right off the shoulder of the Chelsea defender. Instantly, slickly, Chelsea produced a replacement in a blue shirt in Johnson’s name from the dugout. Riches will buy you almost anything.
Good will, however, might be difficult to achieve alongside the touchlines. Hiding under an anonymous pseudonym, someone wrote in the match programme: “The trouble with Britain is that corruption, immorality and cruelty, describe our media. Media in Britain is about profit, not truth.” That was a response to the outcry in Europe, indeed around the world, that Chelsea have disgraced their season by irresponsible comments from Jose Mourinho that caused the premature retirement of a referee who he insinuated had “influenced” the Champions League match in Barcelona.
In the second period Chelsea waited for Palace to run out of steam. In the 54th minute Joe Cole, once again mixing tenacity with the gifts that were nurtured at the West Ham academy, put Chelsea ahead for the second and decisive time. In a sweeping move Eidur Gudjohnsen supplied the final pass and Cole, unmarked, stepped into the penalty area and with his right foot guided the ball low inside the far upright. Cole, hoping to be very much involved with England this week, said: “I think I ’ve always been able to produce it in flashes but, here, I think I’ve found my team. The management want more out of me. I’m playing well and a lot and around me I see so many great players. The important thing in a footballer is to be versatile and, this season. I’ve learned to be tactically aware and efficient. Finishing the 90 minutes makes a massive difference to me. I feel fitter and stronger than I did before.”
When the substitutes came on, although the loudest cheer of the afternoon was for the return of Arjen Robben, it was Mateja Kezman who twice added to the scoreline. They were the easiest brace of goals he will score. The first, seconds after he had taken the field was a low cross from the left that Gabor Kiraly allowed through his hands, knees and legs over his goalline.
That howler from an otherwise decent keeper was punished further in the 90th minute when, after three shots had been blocked in front of the goal, Kezman stole in to scuff the ball into the net.
STAR MAN: Joe Cole (Chelsea)
Player ratings. Chelsea: Cech 7, Johnson 6, Carvalho 7, Terry 6, Ferreira 6, Makelele 6, Lampard 7, Cole 8, Gudjohnsen 7 (Kezman 77min,7), Duff 6 (Robben 73min,6), Drogba 6 (Tiago 62min,6)
posted by Wowbagger @ 8:59 PM
