FA Cup, Matches - Written by BlueChampion on Sunday, March 11, 2007 19:18 | 1,984 Views | 30 Comments | Add Comment
Chelsea 3-3 Tottenham: We fight to live another day in the FA Cup!
Fantastic match for neutrals. Surely a heartstopper for the Chelsea/Spurs supporters. Quite a typical injury-inflicted Chelsea performance of this season - concede a few goals courtesy of poor defending, throw bodies, change tactics, increase the gear, be just-in-time for a win/draw. And worst of all, do this at home. Anyway, while the negatives are there for everyone to see, I thoroughly enjoyed the positives - spirit, spirit and spirit. Not one moment, we looked like we were going to surrender. Coming back to level scores from 1-3 at home, we were not content with a draw and still went for a win. Credit to Spurs. Whenever they did not waste time, they played very positive and attacking football.
All three goals conceded were caused by our poor defensive errors. I would hold Ricardo responsible for the first goal where he went chasing the ball and opened the door at the back. Essien showed once again that even a world class midfielder will struggle at central 
defence against stronger teams. What he did was an interception which is normal and appreciated if it had happened in the midfield, but at the defence his margin of error is hardly anything. Surely John Terry would have given a shout to Cech to collect the ball while he would have shielded the attacker. Well, Michael Essien is not John Terry. The third goal was an embarrassment to say the least. A poor clearance by Cole followed by a gathered scrambling of defenders for 50-50 ball which made things all too easy for Ghaly.
In all these goals plus in some more occasions, our positioning was unfortunate as we preferred went aggressively chasing the player with the ball, while we created space in the back line for Spurs to exploit. While Cech might consider this result as an insult, there is nothing much he could have done in preventing this situation. By the way, a trivia for you - when was the last time Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea conceded three goals at the Bridge?
Thankfully the first half disaster was undone by our relentless attacking play in the second half. Jose gave the deserved praise for the players’ mentality:
I contributed with my substitutions but the players did it. It is all about the players. The team’s character, spirit and belief are very important. The players’ mentality was very, very good. We were almost out of the FA Cup when we were two goals down but at the end we are still in the competition.
It was a magnificent game for all the supporters. There were two magnificent teams out there but the third team, the referee, was not magnificent. If Mike Riley is in charge for the replay he needs to be better because today I thought his performance was not good.
The refereeing was dubious. I thought Sheva was punished quite a few times for no foul of his. Whereas quite a few fouls on Drogba went unnoticed. Starting from the 60th minute, Martin Jol made a tactical move whereby his players started to waste time at every possible opportunity. I dont mind seeing players sent off for wasting time. All players know that the worst that would happen is a yellow card and most cases they seem to be ready for it in the bargain.
Martin Jol said this while did not confirm if he was talking about this same match:
We scored goals and I felt their equaliser was a lucky goal - even their second was a cheap goal.
Forgive this funny old man. Can’t digest the fact that he let the apple slip through this fingers. Lampard’s equaliser was a fantastic one and he was thoroughly deserved for his presence of mind. Same goes for his second goal. Crespo scores like that day in and day out. Those kind of goals are van Nistelrooy’s bread and butter. And if we hadnt scored those goals, we would have scored in some other manner. Chelsea’s comeback was always there and this cannot be denied by Jol. It’s funny that Martin Jol seems to take full credit for the Essien own goal, which in fact, is truly a lucky goal.
Chelsea’s first equaliser was a well worked goal which once again involved Drogba, Sheva 
and Ballack (he did mis-hit) before Frank Lampard cleaned up. Once again, you should give credit to Frank for being in the right place at the right time and doing the right thing. Same holds good for the second goal too. I’ve seen Fibreglass showing us the miss of the season so I know that the ‘doing the right thing’ part is the most important one. And then with just over 3 regulation time minutes remaining, Drogba headed to the centre of the 6-yard box knowing his fellow-Ivorian is there and Kalou slammed a volley to send the Stamford Bridge esctatic.
With the scoreline at 1-2 at 34 mins, Jose subbed off Ferreira for SWP. It was obvious that he was getting impatient as he just cannot contemplate losing. When Chelsea ended the first half at 1-3, I was sure that Jose would mastermind a second half come back at any cost. While we started the second at a frenzied pace, Jose changed the formation to 4-3-3 and with just over 60 mins, we changed to 3-4-3 and soon he took off Diarra and Cole too.
For the last 10 or 15 minutes, Chelsea played with just two at the back, while every single player knew what that meant and did their best in not making any passing errors or not losing the possession in the midfield. To have just two at the back, in a home match where you have already conceded three goals, you need lots of guts. Jose was running the risk of being humiliated, if his two-man defence was to be beaten. Knowing Jose, he wants a win. He does not see a difference between 1-3 loss or 1-5 loss as they basically mean to him as defeats, simply. As a fellow-manager, Martin Jol would know that Jose Mourinho has stolen the match from him with his sheer dugout tactics.
While I’m proud of the way we fought back with vengeance, I would be happier if we dont allow ourselves to be trailing in the first place. We have squandered a superb opportunity of wrapping up this quarterfinal at the Bridge. To replay at White Hart lane and win is some task. I’m confident that we’ll put the Spurs out of the cup in front of their own fans. Terry will be back and let’s maul them there.
30 Comments
1. Anonymous
2. varun
yeah..awesome cmbak…tats chelsea spirit!!!
3. bombtea
Honestly, what a match! Down 3-1 at the half, I knew we could come back. Lamps in the right place at the right time and a BEAUTY by Kalou.
Hopefully our D will be sorted by the replay, cuz it looked a bit shaky today.
Blue for life.
4. Chris
Jose won’t let us defend that badly again at White Hart Lane, and I think the moral of the story is that Essien’s tenure as a centre-defender should come to a close now Boulaheouz is back. JT should be back for the replay anyway, and I expect a win.
Truly amazing game.
5. abdullah
always keep the faith……I love the chelsea spirit. lets kill them at hart lane and go for the quadruple this season i think it is very possible.
6. Emma
Hey! My last post disappeared!
7. Emma
OK, I’m posting it again!
Well, this was a match that I was expecting to sit back and relax, you know, so I’d even prepared a book to read whilst the match was occurring. But things didn’t quite go as I’d thought when Berbatov scored on the fifth minute. From then on, I was glued to the screen, willing Chelsea to score, and after several dummies, missed opportunities dives, they did! Lampard. I then went back to my book, expecting Chelsea to win this. And again, I was forced to watch (in horror), as Michael Essien, one of the best midfielders in the world but never a centre back, conceded his second own goal of the season. The nightmare continued as some Tottenham player scored another. The second half started pretty much as the first had ended, Chelsea again looked stodgy and Cech had to make a terrific save to prevent Spurs from going 4-1 up. Then I read my book for a while ‘cos the game was depressing me so much. Then Ashley Cole went off for Kalou, a mark of Mourinho’s all-out-attack regime, and seven minutes later, amidst a kerfuffle in the Tottenham penalty area, Lampard found the net again. Two cautious Spurs substitutions made, meaning that they switched system to 3-5-2 in an attempt to protect their 3-2 lead, but my lovely Dutchie (I love that phrase and therefore won’t adapt it) Saloman Kalou made a clinical strike, equalising the match. Jermain Defoe had the most chances in this game, I have to say, and I thank god that he’s such a shyte player, and squandered all of them.
Entertainment value: 9/10.
Chelsea’s performance (1+7 divided by 2): 4/10
Man of the match: Frank Lampard.
Emma! Sorry about that. Your comment was caught by the spamguard for some unknown reason. Good that you were able to recover the text. You were absolutely right. The first half scoreline at the Bridge was a nightmare.
9. maysam
3-3 , 3 goals , which team did score 3 times in stamfor bridge ?
10. chels
maysam. that was BC’s trivia question in the post. may be you didnt read the post. by the way i dunno the answer.
11. Adonis
I didn’t get to see the game, but from what I’ve heard it’s really disappointing. I thought that 3-2 was a worst-case scenario, but I obviously was wrong. 3 goals in the first half at the Bridge? I know that the come back was gutsy and showed balls and heart and all that, and that’s not too bad, but we shouldn’t be conceding three goals ANYWHERE, and we certainly should never be down two goals in 34 minutes. Good thing JM is the best manager in the world.
This is proof that Terry’s the best defender in the world.
12. Johnarejr
I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to see the match. If Essien has to play defence again, I may not bother watching anyhow.
13. Manish
It has beocme a norm in this season that untill we trail we just don’t come out of slumber. And if this problem is not sorted out early we would be left with nothing to celebrate. I think Jose’s laid back mentality has totally crept into this team and they are just not ready to take game to opposition right from start. And even then defense is performing like school kids. Third goal from spurs was a horrible secne for me. Instead of vying for strikers Jose should try to bolster the defense. And its not that only money can do it. You just need to work hard to locate players who suit your style best.Vidic for ManU is best example. We paid 16m for Boulahrouz..what a waste.
BTW does away goal rule also prevail in FA…if yes than its going to be very difficult for Chelsea.
14. giridhar
It was so depressing but I could not stop watching… because each time I turned away, chelsea were a goal down.. and we still dont have time to breathe.. 3 games in a week…
15. blue champion
Manish - there is no ‘away goal’ rule in FA cup. It’s just who wins the replay.
16. RomanHoliday
LOL LOL LOL
Good match wasn’t it ? No-one can say we’re ( CFC) is boring anymore.
Lots of twists and turns in the hunt for silverware.
Well the spineless spurs are gonna be beaten to dust when we replay them.
Shit I was shouting just keep hitting spurs again again . and That will do the trick. And it did .
And also I think without Bebatof ,spurs were not the same team anymore. I just loved it when he and Lennon came off. Tactical / defensive mess we had in first half. But Jol taking off both of his most effective players up front was his downfall as we shall see next weekend .
Anyway we should’ve won it in the final seconds.
LOL LOL
17. joeblue
Man what a game not seen a better one since Istanbul , but what a nightmare of a defence, sometimes JM really surprises me with his team selection , the ones at this blog doubting me before when i said that Boula should start wld now be mincing trheir words , no matter how good a player is he cannot play in a different role!!!!!
Spurs dint score even one(though they came close) when Boula was on and we were playing 2 at the back!!!!
There is nothing to get excited after this match cuz we drew only cuz the fat git Jol subbed Berbatov (thats the way players shld repay the money spent on them)!!!!! Next time there wld be Keano as well!!!!!
18. joeblue
and a piece of news this , i was up late last night and saw Scotty Sinclair pulling out stunning tricks , though Argle lost he was fantastic , and that too agnst Watford , the lads gonna be one of the best i bet!!!!
AND SAW JOSE IN THE STANDS AT OSASUANA LATER FOR THE MATCH — OSASUANA VS VALENCIA KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON VALENCIA PLAYERS , JUST 5 HRS AFTER THAT CLASSIC MATCH AT THE BRIDGE!!!!!
19. Alex
Boula wast any good joeblue. he did not give me confidence. he looked in doubt and was never commanding his area. i dont think boula starting the match would have made too much difference.
20. joeblue
HE WONT HAV SCORED AN OWN GOAL AT LEAST!!!!
21. joeblue
Anyways imagine the guts of John Terry to demand a nine year contract worth 60 mn pounds , and has threatened to leave if this is not given , and looks like JT has lost his head in money completely !!!!
imagine paying him so much till he is 35 , is he insane???
22. joeblue
And Manish , looks like someone agrees with me , i hav been harping on the same tune for weeks , if we play like this forget the FA cup and dont even dream of the CL!!!!!
The 3 goal was the worst , 3 defenders came out for 1 striker , what a disaster , no wonder Valencia wld be liking their lips without Tery our defence can be broken down even by Championship sides ,
and thats why taking advantage of this fact , moneysucker JT has demanded this new deal cuz we cant afford to loose him and if we do, we r as good as dead!!!!
23. Alex
dont believe in rumours. it is not good for your health.
24. joeblue
Well Alex these r not rumors , only reality mate believe it or not choice is urs!!!!!
25. F*** Joeblue!
Man..! i dont know if JT has that kind of personality.. Of all chels players, he’s the one i respected the most.. He’s the first reason why i loved CFC, n now.. he’s changing his personallity.. He’s such a confusing man, MAYBE I’ll Hate Him and change side to Manu or Arsenal 2moro morning..
Ahahaha… Just kiddin! i think i’ll still love him even when he’s reached 35 n paid high n cant do anymore tackles n.. WHATEVER!, lol..
n lemme tell u sth joe blue
I DONT Give A Shit bout that crap rite..
Good Player Deserves Good Treatment!
SO long Sucker!
26. Manish
The game proved that Chelsea can play as per the requirement….we can be as attacking as anyone when need arises…but we really need to beef up our defence as JT’s absence has really exposed it and we also miss Essien’s midfield role as a result
27. zubin
friends that was brilliant in all aspects…
everyone is talking about 3 goals conceded…. but let me tell you this is football and anything can happen and please dont forget jose’s tactical brilliance and his players character…
it was awesome in all respects……what a come back…
28. giridhar
There is an Away Goal rule in FA Cup as far as I know. Only thing you dont have is penalties… I donot know if I am right
29. boruff
hi BC and all,
i enjoyed the match form start to finish. made me shout in front of the crowd tho 
anyway, It is one crazy hectic week of matches and more matches for the lads and they are all cramped into the next couple of days :
15th March - Manc City v Chels
17th March - Chels v Sheff Utd
20th March - Spuds v Blues (FA qtr finals replay)
25th March - Israel v England
29th March - Andorra v England
01st April - Watford v Chels
Absurd, isnt it? The lads better be up for it and not pick up any injuries or we will be beat!
p/s: to BC, good one on Fibreglass u got there.
30. Laronence
wow ))
its very interesting point of view.
Nice post.
realy good post
thx :-)
damn.. 3 - 3 we almost win it!! btw.. what a match
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