On Sunday afternoon, two of english football’s titans locked horns for what was guaranteed to be a super Sunday showdown. For Chelsea, the fire’s were burning as the last home game played out to a devastating 5-3 loss to bitter rivals Arsenal. As for Liverpool, they’re the English kings of European football, but as of late, have not even qualified for the Europa Cup, so with both team’s fighting for their own reasons, this was guaranteed a shake down of a game.
The game started well, with both teams showing good sign’s of possession and a will to attack, just what we all want to see. After the first 30 minutes, both team’s managed to pop a shot or two on target, none of which managed to pass the keeper though, until after 33 minutes in, the visitors broke the deadlock, Cech passes to Obi Mikel, who, naiv Maxi Rodriguez slotting past Cech after a simple slice through the Blue’s defence, something that seems to be a frequent thing as of late. The last 15 minuets of the first half didn’t offer anything spectacular, a few shot’s from both team’s, but annoyingly, when the half time whistle came, Liverpool deservedly went in with a lead, boo’s wern’t heard, but you could sure as hell hear the agitated thought’s of blue’s fans.
As the teams ascend from the Stamford Bridge touchline, we notice young blue Daniel Sturridge jog onto the pitch, coming on for Mikel, and with Liverpool getting us underway, so proceeds the second half, one that will bring cheer and gloom to the Stamford Bridge stands. Chelsea come out all gun’s blazing, producing some great attacking football, heaping the pressure on Liverpool. That pressure soon pays off, as Malouda storms into the box, unleashing a shot come cross, as the ball slices past Drogba and Luiz, Sturridge pops up at the bank to calmly put the ball past Reina, a well worked goal and Dani’s 5th league goal. The next 20 minuets are all about the blue’s, as mata, lampard, malouda and ramieres lead the onslaught, Luiz comes close from a Drogba free kick, Malouda comes inches off goal of the season, with an overhead effort narrowly wide, a number of strurridge efforts just wide. This is fantastic football from Chelsea, however, it all counts for nothing, as the attacks fizzel out, and Liverpool manage to clear, as it comes off to Kuyt, Kuyt passes out to Johnson, who then manages to get around the defence and slot one past Cech and an outstretched Terry, securing the three points.
Hearts are broken around the bridge, for such good football, why can we not seem to put teams to bed. I was in the pub watching this game, when sturridges goal went in, i screamed like a mad man, to the fright of a group of girls, after which, a friend, quite wisely now i think of it, said we’d need to score in the next 20 minuets, or Liverpool will score. And they did.
So with Liverpool leaving the Bridge with three points, Chelsea fan’s leaving with an uncomfortable lump in their throats, and myself leaving the pub with a rage. The super sunday turned into the ‘so near yet so far sunday’, with an undeserved Liverpool win, the blue’s now fidn themselves in the mix with three other teams on 22 points. Lets hope the Blues can squash this apparent problem with the defence and start getting our formidability back on track.
By Warwick Tuatara
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