Pre-match
Mark Hughes names an unchanged side from the one that started against Aalborg, with Bojinov replacing Vassell on the bench.
It was a glorious spring day in west London, and in an a nice touch both SWP & Wayne Bridge got a warm reception from their old fans. The hosts, no doubt buoyed by Saturday’s United result, named their strongest possible team, with Michael Essien back for the first time in the league since August.
The Match
Chelsea had the ball in Shay Given’s net after just 60 seconds, but Frank Lampard was a good two yards offside when a deflected shot fell nicely for him to stab beyond the keeper. The home had side had the majority of the play for the opening exchanges, but Nedum Onuoha timed a challenge to perfection to deny Anelka a shooting opportunity on 12 minutes. This led to a couple of corners in quick succession but our defence held firm – until the 18h minute.
Chelsea had a free kick just in front of the centre circle, and quick thinking from Lampard saw the ball go straight to Michael Essien in yards of space just inside the box. The midfielder’s first time shot on the turn looped around Given and went into the top corner to give us an even harder task.
Drogba needed attention within a couple of minutes of the goal, and just after he returned to the fray Felipe Caicedo had a shooting opportunity, but the big Ecuadorian dragged his effort a couple of yards wide.
Anelka went to the floor after tangling with Nedum Onuoha inside our area on the half hour mark, but referee Mike Riley ignored the striker’s penalty claims – in reality, Nedum had done well to get in front of Anelka, who had then fallen on him.
The hosts wasted a great chance to go two ahead six minutes later. Drogba back-heeled the ball right into the path of Michael Ballack on the edge of the box, but the German’s shot flew a couple of yards wide of Given’s left post. Just afterwards City had their first moment of true threat, but Robinho’s cross-cum-shot towards Caicedo was cut out at the far post by Carvalho just in front of the goal line.
A half that had seen us on the back foot for most of the time eneded with a brighter moment, a fine run from Ireland ending with the midfielder finding Caicedo on the edge of the box, but sadly for us he was expertly marshalled off the ball by John Terry.
A half that had seen us on the back foot for most of the time ended with a brighter moment, a fine run from Ireland ending with the midfielder finding Caicedo on the edge of the box, but sadly for us he was expertly marshalled off the ball by John Terry.
It was one-way traffic at the start of the second half, with Drogba being denied by a pincer-movement from Onuoha and Dunne, then Onuoha once again made a perfectly-timed last ditch intervention before Anelka dragged a shot wide, all before the 50 minute mark.
A sweeping Chelsea move on 52 minutes saw Bosingwa feed Drogba, but this time it was Shay Given’s turn to frustrate the Ivorian hit-man when he dropped to his left to parry the ball away from danger. Essien’s attempt to double his tally seconds later rolled wide, and this was followed by Ched Evans replacing Felipe Caicedo as Mark Hughes made his first substitution of the day.
City pressure resulted in a couple of corners and a free kick for Elano just before the hour, but none of the three dead-ball efforts posed a danger to Cech. Chelsea attacked and went close to adding a second goal, Belletti driving a left-footed shot past Given but against the post, the ball rebounding into the area but allowing Given enough time to clear it into the second tier. Kelvin Etuhu replaced Elano on 66 minutes to make his first Barclays Premier League appearance since West Ham at home in late August, and within seconds he had an attempt on goal from outside the area that rolled across Cech and wide of his right post.
The home crowd were getting a touch agitated as all their side’s possession was not translating into the killer second goal. Dunne & Onuoha held firm, but now they did not have Drogba to contend with following his substitution, which saw Malouda replace him. City’s final replacement saw Valeri Bojinov come on for Robinho, who left the pitch to a chorus of boos from the home crowd. The Bulgarian looked lively straight away, chesting a Zabaleta pass down and volleying at Cech.
With five minutes left SWP gave the ball away in midfield and Anelka broke into space to find Malouda, but his low, angled shot could only find the side-netting. Within second the substitute tried again, but his shot, wide of Given, was blocked by Dunne from a couple of yards in front of the goal line.
Frank Lampard had the last chance of the afternoon, trying his luck from just inside the area with his left peg, but the shot cleared the bar by a long way. It scarcely mattered, as within a minute Mike Riley blew the whistle on another away defeat for City, but the Blues’ defence could take some consolation from keeping a full-strength Chelsea attack at bay for much of the game.
