Chelsea Lose Title but Heads Held High - Post Match Comments

• SumOne

  7 May 07, 17:57

  First off, I was out so only managed to catch the second half. Based on replays I felt the challange by Boularuz was definitely a penalty, but whether it was a red care would be dependant on whether he was the last man. I suspect it wasn't but no way of telling from the replays I saw.
  
  However, instead of letting that get them down, Chelsea kept up their fighting spirit and showed a never-say-die attitude. In terms of displaying mental strength, by this match alone Chelsea won it with flying colours. A man and a goal down, needing at least a win to maintain a chance of defending their title, Chelsea never showed any signs of giving up.
  
  Paulo Ferreira so often criticised this season showed endless drive on the right, fighting for every ball and running tirelessly. Definitely no way to fault him where effort is concerned.
  
  Lampard however still did not have a fantastic game and again did not manage to match the high expectations of him this season. He failed to put away a chance that he would normally do so in seasons before (still suffering from World Cup hangover?. A nice lay off to him around the edge of the penalty box, and the kind of range he is most effective with. But he didn't even get a clean shot to even trouble the keeper. I was so expecting that to be a goal. Maybe the nerves got to him.
  
  Terry was always where Chelsea needed him, in defence and upfront for the set pieces. Like I said earlier, I only watched the second half, where was he when the penalty was conceded I don't know, but 2nd half, he was ever the rock in defence.
  
  And with Drogba out injured, it was down to the Chelsea skipper to win the ball in the air for Chelsea, even having to jostle against two Arsenal defenders in one instance to even get a glance on the ball. That's England Captain for you.
  
  Kalou can't be relied on for headers, he's too easily pushed off the ball. He's no Drogba.
  
  Joe Cole had a fantastic game or at least, a fantastic second half. His goal may have been correctly disallowed for offside but he showed the kind of skill that proves why England need him. I remember reading somewhere that Joe Cole plays like a Brazilian and he really lived up to it in this match.
  
  Essien may have scored the goal but I think the greatest contribution was from Shaun Wright-Philips, who not only won the ball back for Chelsea but was the one who made the vital cross in and caught out the whole Arsenal defence. I was genuinely surprised to see him get sub off later but I'm sure Mourinho knew what he was doing.
  
  It's always been said that Chelsea plays better when they aren't playing their diamond midfield and this was proven last night. Despite being one man down, Chelsea managed to play way especially with Cole and SWP being able to play down the wings. Although quite often I saw Ferreira playing quite far up on the right as well. But Chelsea's goal afterall, came from a cross from the right.
  
  The sad part was that Drogba were without Drogba, no doubt one of Chelsea's biggest assets this season. Arsenal was without Henry, but at least they already knew that was going to happen. To lose Drogba so late and at such a time was quite unfortunate. I think Drogba would have thrived in the 4-5-1 formation or even the 4-4-1 formation.
  
  And where was Robben? Media reports stated him as fit but he wasn't even named on the bench. Mourinho even opted to use Scott Sinclair on the left, who has been at Plymouth since January. SWP put in the cross that got the goal, but Robben is more than able to make a decent cross as well. I can understand him not starting if he's not fully fit but to not even be on the bench? Really weird.
  
  Speaking of missing players, where was Shevchenko? He hasn't gone for his operation yet. Mourinho had him attend training still precisely because he had plans to use him I guess. Chelsea's two most expensive buys and neither featured in the two most important matches Chelsea have had this season. Just what is wrong?
  
  Ronaldo may have played out of his skin this season to help Man U win the title, but all these missing players didn't do Chelsea any favours either.
  
  But I guess that's soccer, if you win it you have to do it with what you've got. Injuries and losing players happens to any team. Just that the circumstances now surrouding these few Chelsea players seems really weird. Internal strife?
  
  Well, guess there's next season to look forward to. Mourinho has shown in this match that he can get his team to perform when needed. If anything, this match is proof that Chelsea should continue to keep faith in Mourinho. Mourinho however should talk less nonsense though.
  
  Mourinho as a manager to his players is great. Despite losing the title, he came out onto the pitch to acknowledge the fans and got them to acknowledge his players and why not, they were brilliant. He went to the away crowd and pointed to his players, more or less saying, the players are great, you know it. A few times he put his hand under his chin to indicate "Heads Held High". Definitely true.
• SumOne

  7 May 07, 17:58

  Match Highlights (10min)
  
  Shorter Highlights on ESPN with Mourinho Interview
• SumOne

  7 May 07, 17:58

  Chelsea players post-match
  Mourinho acknowledges the fans and gets them to acknowledge the players. Not EPL winners but definitely heroes.
  
  Chelsea Proud
  Fan dubbed video on the above.
• SumOne

  7 May 07, 17:59

  Gilberto scoring the penalty
  
  Essien Equalises
• SumOne

  7 May 07, 18:00

  The cameras were all showing Chelsea at the away section of The Emirates Stadium, but meanwhile, Arsenal were doing their lap of honour around the rest of the stadium.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5cp58Hr-RE
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3H9wbvueeo
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSOeaGalIp8
  
  All taken from personal cameras.
• used

  7 May 07, 18:05

  boularouz is a liability to the team. other than his fantastic performance against barca at stamford bridge, he is a far shadow from that now and look more like a school boy.
  
  arsenal have several guilt age chances mostly from gallas. he could have had a hatrick. but the crucial miss was by kalou in injury time. given the time and space he had, he should have buried it. went for power but it directly in the middle. really dissapointing. and btw wad hapen to drogba??
• lalaTearz

  7 May 07, 18:49

  i think lampard is real tired..he play his 60th game of the season...which player play so much game like him..he doesn't haf a pre-season rest...tis season was so tight...juz after world cup..i m sure lampard nxt season will do better....
• SumOne

  8 May 07, 14:02

  Originally posted by used:

  boularouz is a liability to the team. other than his fantastic performance against barca at stamford bridge, he is a far shadow from that now and look more like a school boy.

  To be fair to Boularouz, he doesn't get to play that often, with Mourinho at times choosing to play Essien as centre back instead. I believe he could have done better had he played some other matches first instead of being thrust into the thick of action against Arsenal. But it was his mistake afterall that led to a penalty.
  
  

  arsenal have several guilt age chances mostly from gallas. he could have had a hatrick. but the crucial miss was by kalou in injury time. given the time and space he had, he should have buried it. went for power but it directly in the middle. really dissapointing. and btw wad hapen to drogba??

  Drogba was injured, and Kalou has shown he is no Drogba. Both in terms of scoring and creating chances for others. I think Chelsea did well enough considering being a man down.
  
  You are right about Arsenal though who had quite a few chances to kill off the game. Does seem Arsenal have a problem with finishing without Henry around.
  
• SumOne

  8 May 07, 14:02

  Originally posted by lalaTearz:

  i think lampard is real tired..he play his 60th game of the season...which player play so much game like him..he doesn't haf a pre-season rest...tis season was so tight...juz after world cup..i m sure lampard nxt season will do better....

  I think the pressure has gotten to him as well. There have been such high expectations of him during the world cup and for this season.
• SumOne

  8 May 07, 15:41

  Can anyone confirm for me if the red card for Boularuz was a deserving one? Was it because it was from behind or that he was last man?
• 4getmenot

  8 May 07, 15:41

  Originally posted by SumOne:

  Drogba was injured, and Kalou has shown he is no Drogba. Both in terms of scoring and creating chances for others. I think Chelsea did well enough considering being a man down.
  
  You are right about Arsenal though who had quite a few chances to kill off the game. Does seem Arsenal have a problem with finishing without Henry around.
  

  Cech just made a couple of world class saves just when they needed him plus a lucky hit to he bar ..if not the score line would have already tipped in Arsenal favour...
• SumOne

  8 May 07, 16:02

  Originally posted by 4getmenot:

  Cech just made a couple of world class saves just when they needed him plus a lucky hit to he bar ..if not the score line would have already tipped in Arsenal favour...

  I only watched the second half, so I've definitely missed out certain things. I won't say Chelsea were the better team for the second half, but they were the more spirited side and seemed to have more possession which I think is not bad for a team being one man down.
  
  But both sides had chances to win the game.