Chelsea v Liverpool and Southampton v Chelsea
Happy new year! Ok, Chelsea played Liverpool last Sunday and I wasn't too optimistic. Liverpool played well against City and probably should have got at least a draw - maybe more. Chelsea had been somewhat unconvincing of late and with Suarez scoring goals for fun, I felt his 'reunion' with Ivanovic was going to be painful to watch (although probably not as painful as Ivanovic's arm the last time they met) and I was hopeful for a draw.
However, what followed was probably Chelsea's best performance of the season.
It didn't start well, Liverpool took the lead after three minutes. Prior to that though, I was delighted to see Luiz starting in midfield. I genuinely think he is better there. He is erratic defending but really excels in that holding role as it allows him so much more freedom than playing in defence. Ramires was suspended (I don't think we missed him) so Luiz was, Mourinho must have thought, the only answer. Anyway, Liverpool score after three, Coutinho swings in a decent free kick which results in Ivanovic getting on the wrong side of Suarez (maybe a case of once bitten twice shy haha) and Suarez's header hits Ivanovic and with Cech on the floor, the ball drops kindly to Skrtel who sidefoots home. I didn't notice at the time, only though TV replays, about the fuss regarding Eto's tackle on Henderson, who needed treatment, that led to the free kick which created the goal. On reflection, it was a bad tackle. Foot on the shin kind of thing. I've seen red cards given for those kind of fouls. That was an ongoing debate after the game. Some pundits said it was too early in the game for a red card, which rises the debate about whether there is such a thing as 'too early for a red card'?
After the Liverpool goal, it was all Chelsea. Momentum, chances, passion, it was all ours. So refreshing to see. Cahill missed with an attempt after seven minutes. Mignolet denied Lampard with a brilliant save after twelve. After seventeen minutes, Chelsea got a deserved equaliser scored by player of the season so far, Hazard. Hazard flicks the ball to Oscar whose charge towards goal is thwarted by Sakho, but this only serves to tee up Hazard with a brilliant curling shot into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area, great goal. Chelsea continue to dominate, injury though forces Ivanovic off to be replaced by Cole, before Eto' gives Chelsea the lead on thirty four. Good control and work by Oscar sees a low cross inside the six yard box toe poked by Eto', Mignolet gets a hand to it but it is't strong enough and the ball trickles slowly in. One further attempt in the half falls to Liverpool, but Allen's shot is saved by Cech.
The second half does not start too dissimilar, with Liverpool almost scoring first as they did in the first half, Sakho hitting the bar with a header early on. But Chelsea find their feet again, with Hazard shooting wide and Eto' denied by Mignolet when through on goal, all in the space of a minute (and thus I'm back to be frustrated by Eto' again). Suarez then pipes up with a shot that is saved by Cech, and then I realised for the first time since the third minute that he was actually playing! Chelsea had done a good job of keeping him quiet. Glen Johnson and Hazard then trade missed attempts, Cech saving from Johnson and Hazard shooting wide. A late substitution sees that old Liverpool favourite Torres come on, he has the final attempt with is saved. Apart from a late fight between Oscar and Lucas, Oscar going in two footed on Lucas and Lucas reacting - both lucky to escape red in my opinion, the game fizzles out and Chelsea hold on. Big result, possibly our most important of the season.
Fast forward to new years day. Hangovers a plenty and plenty of football too. Another permanent fixture in the football calendar, new years day footie. This new years day saw us go to Southampton and a month ago I would have been worried about this, as Southampton were playing well and in the top four at that point. Torres started (never sure what I think about that) amongst numerous changes made since the Liverpool game, and Torres himself had a couple of blocked shots early on. But after that, I'd say Southampton were the better team in the first half (Chelsea nursing a new years day hangover?). Ramirez misses with a header, Llanna has a blocked shot after a goal mouth scramble, Lovren shooting wide and while Ramires had a shot saved before half time, I spent half time wondering if this was going to be another frustrating game.
How wrong I was. A Cech save from Rodriguez early was worrying but from then Chelsea took control. Partly down to a Jose masterstroke. Mata started this game, but was really hardly in it. It was not surprising to me that Jose subbed him, along with Shurrle for Willian (who had a great game against Liverpool I should add) and Oscar. Mata's reaction was painful to see, he seemed very annoyed, frustrating. Worrying for the Chelsea fans who don't want to see him leave, as this is the first time that it looks like a possibility, to see him openly vent his frustration at being subbed. A Chelsea fan recently reminded me that what is happening with Mata is the same thing that was happening with Joe Cole during Mourinho's first spell. Cole was out of the team, but made the changes to his game Jose requested and became a better player. Mata needs to make the same changes to his game it would seem. He doesn't seem to like tracking back or tackling, which Jose doesn't like. Don't get me wrong, I'm not changing my tune as I love Mata and want to see him start every game and have been puzzled by some of his exclusions at times (no playing time against Man Utd and Arsenal still makes no sense to me having said all that), but I trust Jose, always have. We are not suffering without Mata, we are doing well int he league so if Mata doesn't make the same changes to his game as Joe Cole did, he may be off I fear.
Back to the game and it was Oscars turn to shine. His first interaction with the game though was not a pleasant one, and really annoyed me at first. The brazilian was put through on goal, went around the keeper and all he had to dow as put the ball in an empty net - but decided to dive. Disgraceful. Why dive when you're through on goal? Just score for goodness sake! It devalues the old argument 'why would he go down when he's through on goal?' when Oscar is doing naughty things like that. But he made up for it I'm glad to say. On the hour mark, his cross-turned shot deflected off a defender from the wide let and hit a post, only for the ball to bounce back into the path of guess who? Torres. Easy goal. Header in an empty net. Not quite what we paid 50 million for but there you go.
A Rickie Lambert sitter, where a soft header from the centre of the penalty area after poor defending by Terry is saved by Cech and thats the last we hear of Southampton. Not long after that another substitute Willian, teed up by an Oscar pass on the edge of the area, fires an unstoppable right foot shot into the bottom left hand corner. Willian impressed me against Liverpool, he looked very lively and had made a telling contribution today. Slowly started to repay that transfer fee and justify his decision to snub Spurs :) The game was sealed nine minutes from time when Oscar's left foot shot ont he left hand side took a deflection and beat Davis at his near post. Job done in awful rainy conditions, much respect for the Chelsea fans that made their way down to the south coast for that one. We're not playing great, but remain up there still. I think, and hope, Mourinho will do it for us this year. Exactly what 'it' is though, we'll have to see ....
