Blackburn caught doozing…
Chelsea 3-0 Blackburn: Well & truly back!
Posted on February 1st, 2007 by blue champion. 
Great relief indeed. With Liverpool closing in and Man Utd playing Watford, we wanted nothing short of three points from this home game. Now the gap stays the same but Man Utd have more tricky games to come, while we play out-of-form Charlton this weekend to consolidate our return to form.
Incidentally, Jose Mourinho picked exactly the same team as I did. Diarra was very impressive and he seems to be doing well as the right back. You could have realised one other reason for playing him when Jose brought on Paulo and moved Diarra to the midfield. In every single match nowadays, I’m able realise and appreciate the difference Carvalho (I forgive his careless goal line clearance incident) and Cech make to the team. Essien is fast becoming a genuine centre back and his crucial hard tackle about 4 yards from the goal was pure class. When Terry is back this weekend and Essien comes back to the midfield, I think we can see his midfield play influed by his few months as centre back. We had our nervy moments in defence, but overall, we shut them out of the match with our supreme midfield play.
Jose commented on the match:
It is incredible because we do not have small injuries. It is big injury after big injury. I think it was Andriy’s best game.
He played fantastic. In the first half in our difficult period he was fighting for the team like he never did before. He did more than enough to make me happy.
Ballack, once ogain, worked very hard and stretched himself. He could have also got him a goal when he got a perfectly curved cross from Diarra. Lampard was fantastic, winning balls from crucial areas, setting up Drogba for the first goal and also scoring a ‘Frank Lampard goal’ later on. Mikel is now a first eleven player. I dont see him go out of the playing eleven anymore. He deserves his place and this kid could be our star of the next season. Makelele did a fine job too and for once it felt like we are back to our best.
Drogba was simply outstanding and in view the man of the match. He not only scored a fantastic goal but also defended hard, won balls from impossible areas, had good anticipation and vision. His goal added to the list of ever-increasing “Drogba’s Super Goals” video. His confidence showed there when did not bother to lose the marker and rather shot from a tight angle to the far post. Superb.
Sheva was simply unlucky. Not to say that he made the best of his chances but he made some very good attempts on goal, which on another day could have been goals. He also worked hard for others, like he has always done. If not anything, he got a hug from Jose when he was subbed off.
I do get a feeling that Jose has done a wonderful job in making 4-4-2 diamond, a winning formation for us and also fitting in Sheva and Ballack in the team in a way it does not negatively impact Drogba and Lampard respectively. With Cech, Carvalho, Terry, Diarra, Bridge, Essien, Mikel, Ballack, Lampard, Drogba and Sheva in a 4-4-2 diamond, we have a team that can cause shivers for Sir Alex and win the title for us.
The unfortunate moment of this day was the seemingly serious injury to Ashley Cole. And the worst thing is, he got injured, there were only 3 unprepared hours left for the transfer window to close. Once again the Murphy’s Law had to become true for Chelsea. Just when we were arriving at a solution for the right back problem, now we have one in the left back. I wish Ashley all the best for a quick recovery. But, in Wayne Bridge, we have a very able substitute for Ashley but we should only hope that Wayne can continue this season without any injuries or suspensions to himself. With Champions League fixtures coming up, I would have liked Ashley to be fit and playing.
Jose said:
We have to wait a couple of days before we know. He has a problem in the knee, I don’t know what. He can’t walk so it must be something serious. At this moment we have Bridge. He’s playing well, he’s been playing a lot so he has the routine. But it’s one less option because, with no wingers, I could use Bridge like I did before as an outside-left. So I have only one left-back.
I have a feeling that Jose now knows and has a fixed starting eleven where he can be sure that he can get the best out of their match positions. I dont think Jose would tamper would this team too much which also means Diarra, Mikel and Sheva would become his untouchables. This might also mean Maka needs to sit out in the bench and wait for his chances to come.
The other news is that we would be playing Arsenil in the Carling Cup final later this month. I wish Robben is back by then. We do have a score to settle after that draw at the bridge which should have won by some margin. I’m very sure that we’ll come out on top at the Wembley.
One thing is very clear. The bad days are over.
