Chelsea win the FA Cup in Guus’s last game!

May 30, 2009

Lampard gives Hiddink the perfect farewell
Chelsea 2-1 Everton

By Alan McGuinness

As Guus Hiddink stood clasping the FA Cup on a sweltering May afternoon at Wembley he could reflect on a job very well done. When he took charge of Chelsea in February the club was in danger of going into free fall. But the Dutchman has ended his short tenure at the club in the best possible fashion, winning the club’s fifth FA Cup and their first trophy for two years.

Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard were the heroes on the day as the Blues recovered from an absolutely disastrous start.

Most inside Wembley had hardly got to their seats when – from Marouane Fellaini’s header – Louis Saha lashed the ball past Petr Cech after just 25 seconds to send the Everton fans into ecstasy. It is the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history.

Chelsea seemed unable to settle, with Alex in particular looking nervy. But as time wore on they composed themselves, and began to gain possession and exert some control over proceedings.

Tony Hibbert picked up the game’s first yellow card for taking down Florent Malouda. Lampard rather carelessly blasted the resulting free kick high over the bar.

Michael Essien followed suit a couple of minutes later, but then parity was restored and inevitably it was Drogba who got the goal. The Ivorian lost Joleon Lescott and headed the ball past Tim Howard from Malouda’s left wing cross. It kept up his extraordinary record of scoring in every domestic cup final he has appeared in.

The momentum had swung in Chelsea’s favour, and Ashley Cole could have added a second when he broke into the box, but wildly shot wide.

Hibbert was hauled of by David Moyes at half time and replaced by Lars Jacobsen after a less than sparkling first half performance. Malouda was a constant threat and the Scot seemed unable to stop the winger.

But the change had little effect – Hiddink’s side still looked in the ascendency. Malouda volleyed over and Saha had a rare chance for Everton, but he couldn’t find the target.

After an hour Nicolas Anelka attempted to lob Howard, but put too much into his effort and it went over the bar.

Shortly afterwards Hiddink made his first substitution, sending Michael Ballack on in place of the subdued Essien.

Having had little to do in the second half, Cech had to be alert to keep out a fizzing shot from Tim Cahill.

Saha then had a glorious chance to put his side back into the lead. Leighton Baines whipped a free kick into the box and Saha rose to head over the top, Chelsea breathed a sigh of relief.

That relief then turned to sheer joy as Lampard struck what turned out to be the winning goal.

Collecting Ballack’s pass, the England international turned Neville and hit a strike that found its way past Howard, despite the American stopper getting a hand to it.

One corner of Wembley erupted and Lampard ran to the corner flag and around it, a copy of his father’s celebration when he scored against Everton for West Ham in the semi final stage of this competition in 1980.

An Everton response never seemed likely after that hammer blow. Indeed, the deficit could and should have been greater when Malouda let fly from 35 yards out and struck the crossbar. The ball bounced down and over the line, but Howard Webb didn’t give it.

Not that it mattered. Chelsea played out time and secured a fully deserved cup triumph. Guus Hiddink will return to Russia with the warm words of both supporters and players ringing in his ears.

Many Chelsea fans would have been happy with a top four finish when he took the reigns in West London. He departs having left an indelible mark on a football club that faces another period of change and upheaval. But for now they can savour the return of the winning feeling they had grown so accustomed to experiencing under Jose Mourinho.

Clinical Chelsea Seal Third Spot! Arsenal 1-4 Chelsea

May 11, 2009

Report by Alan McGuinness

Against Barcelona you could accuse Chelsea of wasting their chances. Not today. Whereas on Wednesday night the Blues ultimately paid the price for their profligacy, at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon they took their chances when they got them and put four past a spirited, but ultimately wasteful Arsenal side who have now lost hope of automatic qualification for the Champions League for next season.

Chelsea’s group stage berth is secured, and whoever is in charge next season will begin again the work of landing the club’s first European Cup.

The opening half an hour of this game gave no indication of what was to follow. Arsenal were the better side and had a number of chances to take the lead. Theo Walcott was tormentor-in-chief of the Blues’ defence, relishing his battle with ex-Arsenal left back Ashley Cole.

The Englishman played a one two with Robin Van Persie but could only manage to shoot high over the bar. He then forced Petr Cech into a save with a shot from a tight angle.

Abou Diaby and Alex Song also had efforts on goal as Chelsea began to feel the pressure. Arsenal seemed a completely different side to the one beaten so comprehensively by Manchester United in midweek.

But Chelsea drew first blood with a goal that was totally against the run of play.

Cesc Fabregas brought down Didier Drogba and the Ivorian swung in the resulting free kick. It was met by Alex, whose header hit the underside of the bar and bounced in.

The Gunners’ afternoon could have got much worse minutes later when Fabregas – already booked for his foul on Drogba – slid in on Florent Malouda. Referee Phil Dowd gave the Spaniard a lecture instead of his marching orders.

It was a former Gunner who then gave the Blues a two-goal cushion heading into half time. Nicolas Anelka received the ball in his own half and was allowed to run towards Arsenal’s goal unopposed. When he reached around 25 yards out he let rip with a powerful drive that curled away from the despairing dive of Lukasz Fabianski and into the corner of net.

Anelka could have all but wrapped up the three points in first half stoppage time but the Frenchman shot at Fabianski’s legs after good link up play between Malouda and Michael Essien.

Three minutes into the second half it was game over. Cole sprinted down the left wing and hit a cross into the box that Kolo Toure diverted into his own net.

Arsenal went in search of the consolation they deserved – and hoped – would be the start of something resembling a comeback.

Van Persie drew a save from Cech and Walcott missed another excellent chance, shooting wide with the outside of his boot.

Wenger’s side finally got the goal they had been threatening to score all afternoon and it was substitute Nicklas Bendtner who provided it. The Dane got up high enough to nod in Bacary Sagna’s cross.

This gave the Emirates crowd a lift and Bendtner almost repeated his goal scoring feat five minutes later. This time however Cech was equal to the task and saved.

A bout of penalty box pinball had Chelsea hearts in mouths as the game moved towards stoppage time. Mikael Silvestre managed to get a clean connection on the ball but was thwarted by the quick reactions of Cech.

Substitute Emmanuel Adebayor took a theatric tumble in the box but Phil Dowd correctly waved for play to continue, but should have booked the Togolese striker for a quite blatant dive.

To rub salt in the wounds Guus Hiddink’s side added a fourth before the final whistle. Frank Lampard sent Malouda clear, but the winger shot straight at the onrushing Fabianski. The ball came out to Anelka, whose follow up hit the post. Malouda was on hand to knock the ball in.

The disappointment of Barcelona has been eased somewhat by this emphatic win – Chelsea’s first at the Emirates – while Arsene Wenger has been served with another reminder of the gulf that exists between his side and the rest of the ‘Big Four’.

(Image by the BBC)