If there was ever a time when Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko earned their paycheck… it was today. The German international showed his "big game hunter" mentality as his brace put Chelsea atop the Premier League standings alongside Manchester United.
Ballack put the Blues in the lead in the 45th minute with a header that saw Stamford Bridge explode. That joy would be quickly subdued.
The second half of the match saw a comedy errors that put the villain’s hat right on Ricardo Carvalho’s head. HIs mistake covering Wayne Rooney helped the English international equalized in the 57th minute. The hat was right on his shoulders and Chelsea saw their title hopes slip away. Their offense was stagnant and the inclusion of Nicolas Anelka for Paulo Ferreira did next to nothing to improve their offensive standing.
Once again it was Michael Essien who provd to be the spiritual leader of this team. His incesant push the middle combined with his penchant to make the right decision yet defend tenaciously paid dividends. His pressure on tha Manchester midfield generated various multiple chances for Didier Drogba. That goal would not come fromt the middle, but once again from an ill-fated cross. The cross would come from the right instead of the left over at Anfield. This time the cross would not find a defender’s head, but Michael Carrick’s arm.
Michael Ballack, in almost robotic fashion cash in, leaving the Red Devils semi-concious. With a big puncher like Cristiano Ronaldo on the field that still meant they had a chance.
Alex Ferguson will be criticized after this match for once again being so conservative in his attack. He used a lineup similar to that of the one he fielded at the Nou Camp. He also put in Mikael Silvestre, who was starting in his first match since tearing his ACL back in September, in his backline. Wayne Rooney played up top by himself while Nani and Anderson played behind.
Cristiano Ronaldo would be the only offensive change that Ferguson would bring in as John O’Shea and Owen Hargreaves were brought in becaue of their defensive capabilities. Although Manchester looked offensively prude, there were options in the end that could have turned the tide their way and virtually clinched the Premiership title in London. On two separate occasions, Ashley Cole and Shevchenko saved Petr Cech by clearing the impending goal. Shevchenko never celebrated a goal the way he celebrated that clearance in injury time that woul have translated into an equalizer. Not al is lost for United though, their 16-goal advantage is the tie-breaker between the two, but their psyche looks affected and will have to rectify it by the time Tuesday rolls around. Elimination from the Champions League as well as the pressure applied by Chelsea could lead them to sitting back and ponder wat might have been.
Remaining Matches
Man Utd. (81 pts)
5/3 vs. West Ham
5/11@ Wigan
Chelsea (81 pts.)
5/5 @ Newcastle
5/11 vs. Bolton