“If I want to win 1-0 I think I can as I think it is one of the
easiest things in football. It is not so difficult.”
Oh, but it is.
The comment was made in frustration, but is an apt summary of a favorite tactic of "the special one", especially in playing in major matches away from home. It also makes being a Chelsea supporter an extremely stressful proposition.
Today was a case in point. Chelsea are playing away to Manchester United. It was s a good game - Chelsea are soaking up pressure to a certain extent and attacking when it suits them, and Manchester United are doing most of the pressing and probing of a Chelsea defense that is for the most part about as impenetrable as the Death Star defenses; and when one Man United player does successfully skim down the trench and find himself with a chance to hit home the lanky Thiboult Courtois is there to sweep up the pieces.
Early in the second half Chelsea Legend Didier Drogba scores on a corner kick by swatting his walker at the ball as it flies by (that really isn't fair - it was actually a good near post header that was owed probably mostly to his long experience as a center forward. Still - I was amazed he lasted all 90 minutes). This was moments after Eden Hazard was in on goal and managed to shoot it right at United's keeper. Chelsea seem to be running rampant for a moment, smelling blood.
But Man U rally a bit and as Jon Obi Mikel starts to warm up on the sidelines I feel my heart tighten with fear. Mikel goes in for Oscar, it's a defensive midfielder for an offensive one, and it signals that Chelsea are going to try to get out with 3 points on the goal of their geriatric striker rather than press for the all important second goal.
Far be it for me to second guess The Great Jose. If anyone can protect a one goal lead Chelsea can, seeing as they have 15 feet tall Courtois in goal and the ever faithful yet arrogant John Terry leading the backline. Mourinho may be "playing the percentages", thinking that if his team press for the 2nd goal they are more likely to give a goal up to United then they are just sitting back and playing to their strengths, especially with ol' Drogba playing up forward. And it is true that a draw on the road is maybe not a bad result, though Chelsea have the quality to be unhappy without taking home a win.
But in the back of my mind I felt that Manchester United, slow start though they have, still have the quality to somehow score one goal, even against Chelsea. For the final 20 minutes my heart rises into my throat with every United attack, every free kick, every corner kick. And just as I start to relax as the game finally goes into stoppage time, just as they are about to wrap up the win and go home with three points, the utterly thinkable happens: Ivanovic fouls Di Maria (for which he was sent off, unfairly in my mind), which sets up a last ditch effort free kick.
Past free kicks have been poor - either too low and easily dealt with by Chelsea's defense or so high that Courtois (who is like 28 feet tall) can just pluck them out of the air. But not this time. The kick is far enough off the line that Courtois must stay in goal, and Fellani has a header on goal. Courtois makes an excellent first save but the rebound falls to Robben van Persie who slams it into the goal so hard I fear the net might rip off. He pulls a Brandi Chastain in celebration, which his no-nonsense dutch manager (who I am starting to dislike greatly) later chastened him for.
I swear - "Dammit!" being my word of choice today, which all things considered is fairly conservative and decently tasteful selection - and slam my fist into the ground. This hurts, a lot, and it reminds me that football is just a game, not to be taken too seriously. I just do hope that the dropped points don't come back to haunt my beloved blues.
FYI - in pulling images for the blog I did a Google image search of Jose Mourinho. Delightful! If you want to see a study of facial expressions ranging from sheer to joy to bored derision, you can do no better.
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