CHELSEA VS MANCHESTER UNITED – A REVIEW

DATE: 28/10/2012
VENUE: STAMFORD BRIDGE, LONDON

CHELSEA                            2 (Juan Mata 44’, Ramires 53’)
MANCHESTER UNITED  3 (David Luiz ‘4 (og), Robin van Persie ‘12, Javier Hernandez ‘75)

Chelsea finished with 9-men and United won with a controversial goal, not the kind of Sunday evening one would have planned out for. Isn’t it? This is not how Chelsea would have wanted to see their unbeaten run this season to end. And dare I say, this is not how the United fans would have dreamt of ending their winless streak at Stamford Bridge, though all we care about at the end of the day is three points ;). But sports is unpredictable and it comes without any script and maybe that’s why we are all in love with it.

Before the match, a story was doing rounds that an 80-year old United fan wanted Sir Alex to stop playing with the ‘Diamond’ formation and also to stop conceding early goals. Well, it looked like Sir Alex took the concern of the 80-year old lady quite seriously. United shelved the ‘Diamond’ formation and went it with a more conventional approach with Young and Valencia in the wings and Rooney playing off Van Persie. And it paid dividends within 4 minutes of the kick-off. Van Persie’s shot came off the post hit Luiz and went inside Cech’s goal. Not the best way to score a goal but United were ahead and surprise! surprise! they opened the scoring. Chelsea were shocked but United had come out faster off the blocks and they were opening up the Chelsea defence with ease. The pace of Valencia and Young and the overlapping runs of Evra and Rafael were causing the Chelsea defence a hell lot of problems, especially because United were getting into 2 v 1 situations in the wing with ease. And all the pressure that United had created paid dividends again within minutes when Van Persie coolly slotted the ball past Cech’s goal from Valencia’s low-cross. Just 12 minutes into the game and United were already 2-0 up. That was perhaps the best start by a United side in a long long time but they still kept pressing and creating chances. There was a spell near the half hour mark when United created a plethora of chances but were unable to finish. By that time though Chelsea had settled into the game quite well and were now dictating terms. David Luiz’s free-kick was thwarted away by De Gea in an unconventional manner but the next few saves that he made were nothing short of brilliant, especially a header from close range by Torres. Chelsea were now running the show and they upped the ante around the half-time mark. An ill-timed challenge by Rooney on Hazard just a minute before the half-time gave Chelsea a window of opportunity to make a comeback and Mata grabbed it with both hands. A stunning curler from his left-foot meant De Gea had no chance to get anywhere near it. Chelsea had reduced the deficit to just one goal now and had Mata been as good with his right-foot as he is with his left, he could have easily equalised before the half –time from a through pass by Torres. As it is, it ended 2-1 in favour of the visitors at half-time. After the re-start it looked like Chelsea had come out with the sole purpose of breaking the fragile United defence and they looked like a team possessed. They began the half just like they had ended the previous one. De Gae’s post was in constant threat. Just eight minutes into the half, Mata sublimely controlled a long-pass by Oscar, kept the ball in play allowing Oscar to get into the play and Oscar’s cross was headed home by Ramires this time. Chelsea had equalised within minutes into the second half and United were already looking down the barrel as Mata and Oscar took the game by the scruff of the neck. Just as all looked rosy for Chelsea, disaster stuck the team in blue. A brilliant turn by Van Persie and the subsequent through-ball meant Young had a clear goal scoring opportunity but Ivanovic brought him down just outside the box and being the last defender, he was in danger of getting a straight red and that’s just the colour of the card that came out of Clattenburg’s pocket. The resultant free-kick was well taken by Rooney albeit just off the target. But the incident a few minutes later turned the whole atmosphere sour. It looked like Torres was marauding through the United defence when he was brought down by Evans just outside United’s d-box but Mark Clattenburg saw it differently than everyone else in the ground and Torres was booked for simulation. It was his second yellow of the game and he was sent-off. There were a couple of controversies relating to this incident. First of all, it wasn’t a dive, Evans had clipped Torres and therefore he went down, maybe the referee mistook Torres for Suarez :P. If anything, it was a Chelsea free-kick. The second thing, which irked De Matteo and the Chelsea staff the most was that Torres was going to be substituted and Sturridge was already waiting by the lines but Clattenburg hadn’t seen it and had allowed United to take a quick throw-in just prior to the Torres incident. Eventually, Bertrand came in for Mata while United replaced Cleverley who for most of the game was ineffective with the two-goal hero from the mid-week Javier Hernandez in search of a winner. Minutes after coming on Hernandez gave United the lead. Cech did very well to keep out Van Persie’s shot from close range but Chelsea failed to clear the danger and Rafael took a swipe which Hernandez brilliantly deflected into the goal. The replay suggested that Hernandez was off-side but the linesman had failed to spot it and it added to the list of matters which will to be digressed after the match ended. The 9-men of Chelsea held on and saved themselves of further embarrassment while United fans went home singing “Glory Glory Man United”. All in all it was a highly entertaining game for an hour or so but ended on a bad note. Sometimes when the referees try to be the hero, they end up shooting their own leg and this was one of such occasion. 

Chelsea are actually playing some good football this season and the Mata-Hazard-Oscar trio looks frighteningly good. This De Matteo team isn’t just parking the bus as they did last season and quite honestly, they don’t need to with the attacking flair they possess now. On the other hand, United look quite vulnerable in defence and the absence of key figures like Vidic, Smalling and Jones is hurting them. But their attack at this moment looks one of the best in Europe if not the best. Rooney and Van Persie are thriving alongside each other and Hernandez keeps doing what he does best, poach goals. Cleverley looks an improved player and with Young, Nani and Valencia on the wings, they do possess a lot of teeth. If United get their defence sorted, this Premier league season can go right down to the wire. 

Finally, this game was made-out to be a potential 6-pointer, even though it’s still early day and Manchester United have come out on top. It’s a tough week ahead for the red devils but as they say “a good beginning is half the work done.”                                     

adios amigos ;)