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Chelsea vs Manchester United.
This game, in my opinion would decide who would challenge for the title with Liverpool, and arguably become favourites to lift the cup at the end of the season. So, this was the most important game of the season by far in my opinion and one that would have been watched by Rafa in particular.
Analysis:
Match: Pretty poor to be honest. The start of the game was very cagey and tentitive, neither side willing to throw themselves forward in fear of being exposed at the back. This was in testiment to the importance of the game. The game, in my opinion was always going to be won by the team that scored first, which was Manchester United. The goal was by no means a classic, a powerful header off a corner by Vidic, but was a good example of the nature of the game, unglamorous and all about physical confrontation. After this goal, which came in first half stoppage time, Chelsea did not look like scoring and Manchester United pressed on with their advantage no longer living in fear. Going on to score another two goals before the final whislte through Rooney, and Berbatov.
What is especially worrying for Chelsea is the fact that a) they did not look like scoring at all against a resolute Man U defence, but more frighteningly that b) it was very close to their strongest team. With the exception of Essien being injured, the line up was their strongest. This is indeed worrying for the blues, but very good news for Manchester United, that were not at all their strongest team. With Fletcher, Park, and Evans in the line up, this just shows that not only are Manchester United looking likely to win the title, but have the strongest squad in the leauge, if not the world.
Performance Analysis:
Chelsea:
Cech: Pretty solid, did not do much wrong other than let the goals in. None of which were his fault.
Bosingwa: Very off and on, controlled Ronaldo on occasion but also was beaten and let crosses into the box, was not as threatening going forward as one might expect.
Terry: Outstanding, played very very well in the centre of defence, making crucial tackles and blocks, in my opinion man of the match.
Carvalho: Solid game, not outstanding but did not do anything wrong.
Cole: Was not good in defence, the second goal was caused by his poor marking, but was fairly good going forward.
Lampard: Fairly invisible performance, maybe because he got booked for a nothing foul in the 3rd minute. His performance epitimised Chelsea's all round performance.
Mikel: Solid defensively, did his job by breaking up attacks, but was not creative enough going forward.
Ballack: Played awfully in my opinion, he did nothing other than make poor touches in the box, and dive badly in the box.
Cole: Very, very quiet game for Joe Cole, the lack of chances could be attributed to his invisibility, aswell as Deco's and Lampard's.
Drogba: Terrible, the worst performer of the game. He did absolutely nothing right the entire game.
Deco: Quiet, ineffectual, and made many poor deliveries off set pieces/crossing opportunities. Suffering greatly from a loss of form.
Anelka(S): Similar performance to Drogba, did nothing the entire game, however had less time to make a differance, and did less wrong.
Belliti(S): Did not play badly, did not play well, did not have enough time to make a differance.
Manchester United:
Van der Saar: Solid, did not have much to do, but what he did he did well.
Neville: Played solid football, very defensive and offered little going forward, but was not giving any chances down the wing.
Vidic: Solid game, did not do anything outstanding defensivly, would have been a fairly nodescript game for him other than his goal.
Evans: Played very well for a young, inexperienced player in a big game. Did nothing wrong the entire game.
Evra: His return to the team was what United have missed in my opinion, the creater of the second goal and the instigator of many United attacks. One of the better players of the game.
Ronaldo: Fairly average game, a few glimpses of last season's Ronaldo, but a very watered down version.
Fletcher: Not his best game of the season, but continues to impress me as a player.
Giggs: Played in Centre Mid, and played outstandingly. Other than Terry, my man of the match.
Park: Played well, worked hard with much endevour. Not a flair player, or a flashy player, but an effective one nonethelesss.
Rooney: Played well, scored a goal, and had a hand in most of the build up to attacks for United. Proving, yet again, what a good player he is.
Berbatov: A nothing game for him, until his goal, has yet to really impress at United.
Carrick: Did not have enough time to make a differance in the game.
Commentators: I felt i had to mention that Ian Dowie is a massive douche, he cannot speak, cannot string together words, and cannot make a decent point. The other guy, John Champion is a good commentator.
Team of the day:
Van der Saar
Neville
Terry
Evans
Evra
Park
Giggs
Mikel
Rondaldo
Rooney
Berbatov
(A vast majority of Manchester United players)
Man of the Match: John Terry
Reffing was poor as well.
This game, in my opinion would decide who would challenge for the title with Liverpool, and arguably become favourites to lift the cup at the end of the season. So, this was the most important game of the season by far in my opinion and one that would have been watched by Rafa in particular.
Analysis:
Match: Pretty poor to be honest. The start of the game was very cagey and tentitive, neither side willing to throw themselves forward in fear of being exposed at the back. This was in testiment to the importance of the game. The game, in my opinion was always going to be won by the team that scored first, which was Manchester United. The goal was by no means a classic, a powerful header off a corner by Vidic, but was a good example of the nature of the game, unglamorous and all about physical confrontation. After this goal, which came in first half stoppage time, Chelsea did not look like scoring and Manchester United pressed on with their advantage no longer living in fear. Going on to score another two goals before the final whislte through Rooney, and Berbatov.
What is especially worrying for Chelsea is the fact that a) they did not look like scoring at all against a resolute Man U defence, but more frighteningly that b) it was very close to their strongest team. With the exception of Essien being injured, the line up was their strongest. This is indeed worrying for the blues, but very good news for Manchester United, that were not at all their strongest team. With Fletcher, Park, and Evans in the line up, this just shows that not only are Manchester United looking likely to win the title, but have the strongest squad in the leauge, if not the world.
Performance Analysis:
Chelsea:
Cech: Pretty solid, did not do much wrong other than let the goals in. None of which were his fault.
Bosingwa: Very off and on, controlled Ronaldo on occasion but also was beaten and let crosses into the box, was not as threatening going forward as one might expect.
Terry: Outstanding, played very very well in the centre of defence, making crucial tackles and blocks, in my opinion man of the match.
Carvalho: Solid game, not outstanding but did not do anything wrong.
Cole: Was not good in defence, the second goal was caused by his poor marking, but was fairly good going forward.
Lampard: Fairly invisible performance, maybe because he got booked for a nothing foul in the 3rd minute. His performance epitimised Chelsea's all round performance.
Mikel: Solid defensively, did his job by breaking up attacks, but was not creative enough going forward.
Ballack: Played awfully in my opinion, he did nothing other than make poor touches in the box, and dive badly in the box.
Cole: Very, very quiet game for Joe Cole, the lack of chances could be attributed to his invisibility, aswell as Deco's and Lampard's.
Drogba: Terrible, the worst performer of the game. He did absolutely nothing right the entire game.
Deco: Quiet, ineffectual, and made many poor deliveries off set pieces/crossing opportunities. Suffering greatly from a loss of form.
Anelka(S): Similar performance to Drogba, did nothing the entire game, however had less time to make a differance, and did less wrong.
Belliti(S): Did not play badly, did not play well, did not have enough time to make a differance.
Manchester United:
Van der Saar: Solid, did not have much to do, but what he did he did well.
Neville: Played solid football, very defensive and offered little going forward, but was not giving any chances down the wing.
Vidic: Solid game, did not do anything outstanding defensivly, would have been a fairly nodescript game for him other than his goal.
Evans: Played very well for a young, inexperienced player in a big game. Did nothing wrong the entire game.
Evra: His return to the team was what United have missed in my opinion, the creater of the second goal and the instigator of many United attacks. One of the better players of the game.
Ronaldo: Fairly average game, a few glimpses of last season's Ronaldo, but a very watered down version.
Fletcher: Not his best game of the season, but continues to impress me as a player.
Giggs: Played in Centre Mid, and played outstandingly. Other than Terry, my man of the match.
Park: Played well, worked hard with much endevour. Not a flair player, or a flashy player, but an effective one nonethelesss.
Rooney: Played well, scored a goal, and had a hand in most of the build up to attacks for United. Proving, yet again, what a good player he is.
Berbatov: A nothing game for him, until his goal, has yet to really impress at United.
Carrick: Did not have enough time to make a differance in the game.
Commentators: I felt i had to mention that Ian Dowie is a massive douche, he cannot speak, cannot string together words, and cannot make a decent point. The other guy, John Champion is a good commentator.
Team of the day:
Van der Saar
Neville
Terry
Evans
Evra
Park
Giggs
Mikel
Rondaldo
Rooney
Berbatov
(A vast majority of Manchester United players)
Man of the Match: John Terry
Reffing was poor as well.
