Chelsea's win breathes new life into title race
At Stamford Bridge
As Chelsea's players ignored a raging storm to gather in a huddle, the renewed hope that spread around Stamford Bridge was stretching to the rest of the Premier League.
The Blues had finally made league leaders Manchester City blink after 15 games - and every managerial rival hoping to detect vulnerability in Roberto Mancini's team gave thanks to Andre Villas-Boas.
The Portuguese declared Chelsea's pursuit of the title open for business once more following a 2-1 win that grafted his new philosophies on to old values of resilience and sheer bloody-mindedness after City had threatened to overwhelm his side.
And back in Manchester, Sir Alex Ferguson's world suddenly seems a much better place as Chelsea's victory keeps City's advantage over Manchester United at just two points.
Even those on the fringes of the race will have raised a smile.
Lampard is mobbed by his team-mates after scoring the winner. Photo: Getty
It was hardly a night to detect cracks in City's armour given they were magnificent for 25 minutes, but the arrival of fallibility in their league form presents a new challenge for Mancini's expensive and impressive squad.
City have gone out of the Champions League and suffered their first league loss in the last week. It's not a blip exactly, but a credible test of potential champions is how they respond to the first big disappointments.
Mancini was philosophical but frustrated, not just with officialdom but also the carelessness of City, who, as they did in the toyed with their opponents in the early stages before losing control and conceding momentum.
It only cost City two points at Liverpool, but the price was more expensive at Stamford Bridge, although Mancini had a very good case for his
With City leading 1-0 after Mario Balotelli's goal inside two minutes, David Silva appeared to be clearly upended by Jose Bosingwa. It wasn't a penalty, according to Clattenburg, who then failed to punish the Spaniard's spectacular fall. If not a penalty, then presumably a dive? Neither, apparently.
It was a decisive moment, an incident that heartened Chelsea and unsettled City. Against the run of play, Raul Meireles equalised and, after Gael Clichy's nightmare match was ended by a second yellow card, substitute Frank Lampard proved there was life in the old dog yet with a late penalty after the raised arms of Joleon Lescott blocked Daniel Sturridge's goal-bound shot.
For Villas-Boas and Chelsea, it continued a run of results that have increased the 34-year-old Portuguese manager's authority, given him a greater measure of control, demonstrated his tactical flexibility and his willingness to fight his club's corner, even against those who have no wish to fight him for it.
Villas-Boas couches much of his analysis in coach's techno-speak, describing Chelsea's retreat from defending with a high line as "reaching the zone of comfort in the medium block" - but it has been the return of some of the basic, old-fashioned steel and dogged determination that has done much to help reinvigorate their season.
And they needed it on Monday to survive an opening spell from City that threatened to blow them away with the same force as the winds and rain that lashed west London throughout an enthralling encounter.
Chelsea dug deep and, once they wrestled momentum from City, refused to hand it back, although they were aided by numerical advantage.
In Villas-Boas, they have a feisty, fascinating leader. The spiky nature was on show again in his after-match inquest - not the "slap in the face" for the media that followed victory against Valencia, but certainly a little slap on the wrist.
It has been a good few days for Villas-Boas and Chelsea, topping their Champions League group and moving closer to the leading pack in domestic competition. But a polite suggestion that he may recently have stumbled on his successful formula was emphatically swept away. "I don't stumble across things," he said. "If we stumbled across things we would be called incompetent but we are competent people."
He likes a verbal joust, also More will come before the season's end.
More tests await Villas-Boas and Chelsea, particularly at Tottenham before Christmas, but this was a big result for coach and team. To beat the previously unbeatable, at least in the league, brought a thunderous Stamford Bridge to its feet and Chelsea's players together in celebration - some of the old swagger was back at the final whistle.
It is not only Chelsea's team that will gain confidence, so will their young manager.
Mancini, even in defeat, can reflect on a superb start to the season in the knowledge that City's position at the head of the Premier League is not false. The trick now is to ensure the first league setback is corrected as swiftly as possible, starting against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
If City had survived to earn a point with 10 men at Chelsea, it would have amounted to a real statement of intent about their strength and ability to cope in such adversity. To fall short seven minutes from time does not amount to a calamity but the manner in which they passed over complete command of the game will not be lost on Mancini.
Some of City's play in the opening passage was glorious, flowing and graceful. Sergio Aguero produced moments of genius while Silva and Balotelli played around him.
Chelsea, however, have shown City can be beaten and they, along with Manchester United, Spurs and anyone else with even the slightest aspirations to the title, will study the league leaders response in the hope of detecting further flaws they might exploit.
City can close down part of that debate with a convincing win against Arsenal on Sunday - but this first defeat has finally given their rivals something to cling to.
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At 13th Dec 2011, U15048719 wrote:@11
I think you have us mixed up with the Spanish League or even the scottish,
Behave yourself
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Comment number 21.
At 13th Dec 2011, insomnia75 wrote:bitterly happy man utd fan here
city clearly dominated first 30 min and should have scored when aguero missed from 8 yards.
stonewall penalty but no guarantees they would have converted it.
a lot of if’s and when’s...fact is city looks like the only constant team so far but santa claus is also not coming for easter so a long way to go for them and sunday may be a first hurdle to proof what they are really made of this season.
BTW great midfield battles last night...wish we had any of these players in our team !
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At 13th Dec 2011, U15048719 wrote:Any one think the red card made a major difference to the game?
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Comment number 27.
At 13th Dec 2011, OldWoodman wrote:Another game blighted by bad refereeing.After the booking of the West Brom player for 'diving' on Saturday and the farcical performance of the officials at Stoke on Sunday I think we all hoped for a decent showing from the men in black last night. Not to be.The game went Chelseas way ultimately because the referee failed to award City a penalty when they led 1-0. Why are the officials getting so many calls wrong? Both Chelsea and City will reflect this morning that the result was unduly influenced by bad refereeing,in the great scheme of things Chelsea will not have sent waves of foreboding through the City squad.If there is a major beneficiary it is surely Manchester United who should be five points adrift this morning instead of two but more worrying for the neutral is the very real prospect of matters being decided at both ends of the table by bad officiating.
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Comment number 29.
At 13th Dec 2011, Desiderius Erasmus wrote:Unfortunately where money talks, titles walk .... City are simply unstoppable in terms of resources. The ability of the club to conjure another £400m from sponsorship of the football by the owners brother, says all that needs to be said about their wealth. Only if Mancini reverts back to the cautious tactics of last season will the others have a chance.
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At 13th Dec 2011, Davey Bones wrote:It's only one game, away from home on an awful night against a top four team. A draw would have been a fair result but hey, so they lost. City have a relatively straightforward game next against one man Arsenal so by this time next week I'm sure everything will be back on track. With their money City are unbeatable in the Premiership, in fact the bookies have it about right, the top four now will be the top four at the end of the season.
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Comment number 34.
At 13th Dec 2011, Ryushinku wrote:Man Utd are going to win the Premier anyway, let's not fool ourselves otherwise.
A 2 point lead? Fergie will be shaking in his boots no doubt. There's been far too much counting of chickens for weeks now about Man City's 'march to the title'.
And I'm not even a Man Utd fan, I'm Arsenal. Speaking of which, I hope we can repeat the trick when we play City and not get caught in the backlash, or I guess we'll be the club in crisis again. Who is it at the moment? Tough to keep track sometimes.
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At 13th Dec 2011, Koxy wrote:Soul Patch at it again... Interestingly he doesnt consider the match winner "an English plodder" :-) 4 - 1 Dont make me laugh.
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Comment number 40.
At 13th Dec 2011, rodders77 wrote:I have to begrudgingly say that this performance says more about how good Man City are than anything. They were unfortunate to lose, and even with ten men looked like they could still cause a good Chelsea side problems.
If Man Utd came up against either of those teams last night we would have lost. Hopefully by the time the next few fixtures are out of the way United will be top and have found some reasonable form. The win against Wolves, whilst a good result, did nothing to boost my confidence in their title winning credentials.
Was a great match last night, as was the Stoke v Spurs game. Finally turning into an exciting season!
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Comment number 42.
At 13th Dec 2011, Twirlip wrote:>"before you say it wasn't a pen, it was!"
It wasn't.
>"If not he should have booked Silva for diving!"
He certainly should have. Any time both arms go flying up in the air in that fashion, you know the player is play-acting.
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Comment number 43.
At 13th Dec 2011, clummers wrote:As a neutral watching the game a few points I noticed.
Both were penalties, but 2-0 at in the first half would have been a tougher task for chelsea.
Merieles should have been off in the first half, two high tackles, the league is crying out for consistency on these sort of fouls as one week in could be a red/yellow and tghe next nothing.
Yaya was also a very lucky boy.
Chelsea looked such a better team once AVB abandoned his high line and made them a solid deep defending team once more.
Balotelli is great to watch, the game needs characters like him.
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Comment number 46.
At 13th Dec 2011, niro_d_wolf wrote:When on the back foot, Mancini was back to his usual defensive self. Taking off striker for defender is a given, but why Aguero? Balotelli was just useless. Then he takes off Silva for De Jong.
And gotta love Villas-Boas taking great offense at criticism of David Luiz, saying he's a top defender, then leaving him out, even he knows Luiz cant be trusted in big games at the moment
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Comment number 47.
At 13th Dec 2011, The_soul_patch_of_David_Villa wrote:44. At 09:01 13th Dec 2011, The_Hacienda FAC51 wrote:
Dont worry he also thinks Gareth Barry is the best english central midfielder in the last 15 years.
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Gareth's a class act; one of the best players on the pitch last night. Of course, his sterling contributions generally go unnoticed by the Basset Hounds who have been drinking too much of the Sky Sports propaganda milk.
Just because he doesn't score a goal or provide an assist per game, and just because he doesn't run around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, means that those fully enveloped by the tentacles of the Sky Sports octopus will never appreciate the brilliance of Barry.
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Comment number 48.
At 13th Dec 2011, jwl86 wrote:Just goes to show that Man City aren't unbeatable in the league, as some were suggesting. I like watching them, but it was daft to think they'd do 'An Arsenal' and not lose all season. Arsenal were a one off that will probably never be repeated in the Prem.
For the poor refereeing decisions that went against them... It happens, theyll have their 'lucky' moments throughout the season and probably still win the league.
Personally though i still feel they look vulnerable at the back, and whilst Kompany (usually) looks assured, Lescott can go missing at times and Clichy (not just because he got sent off) is prone to an error every now and again. Against most teams this wont matter as theyll simply outscore them, but I wouldnt be surprised to see another CB signed in January
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Comment number 49.
At 13th Dec 2011, will wrote:Chelsea were second best and needed a couple of Ref decisions to give them a chance. They were still poor to watch and i don't expect them to be a threat around March. As for United thanking Chelsea............LOL
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Comment number 57.
At 13th Dec 2011, The_soul_patch_of_David_Villa wrote:54. At 09:08 13th Dec 2011, The_Hacienda FAC51 wrote:
yeah hes just great, especially when in an England jersey. now I know you really are a delusional fool.
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Don't make yourself sick on all that Sky Sports milk...
:rollseyes:, :palmsface: and :shakeshead: in an unsynchronised manner.
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Comment number 63.
At 13th Dec 2011, collie21 wrote:Relying on a ref to win you a game is silly.
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Comment number 64.
At 13th Dec 2011, gunnerslovver2007 wrote:To be honest the general reception to this result seems a bit strange with most commentators seeming genuinely surprised that Chelsea managed to win by 1 goal, at home, against a 10 man City. I mean seriously, come on Chelsea may not have been at their best this season but I still wouldn't be surprised if they could manage a 1 goal win against Barca at home let alone City or even a 10 man City. Fact of the matter is Chelsea came second last season and are one of the better teams in the world, a couple of losses at home to Liverpool and Arsenal wasn't going to irreversibly change that and the pundits who have acted like it would are short-sighted indeed.
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Comment number 65.
At 13th Dec 2011, jwl86 wrote:61.At 09:14 13th Dec 2011, Twirlip wrote:
>"For the poor refereeing decisions that went against them... It happens"
Eh, they didn't have poor refereeing decisions going against them.
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Yes Ive already read that you didnt think it was a penalty, just going with my own opinion and the general consensus mate
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Comment number 66.
At 13th Dec 2011, U15001102 wrote:@ 47
Good spot on the score prediction Patches....4-1 to city indeed! Amusing that you blame the below-average england players yet it was your favourite, frank lampard that got the winner for chelsea!
As for barry being the "best midfielder in last 15 years". He doesn't really do much does he? He doesn't score, provide assists, doesn't run around? I think he's just there to make up the numbers and english quotas. I've seen many a players that "don't score, provide assists or run around" despite playing in midfield. They can normally be found playing on a sunday day for the "Fox and Hounds" and fit the description of a balding, hungover, middle aged male, typically by the name of "Alfie" or "Big Tommy". So Barry is on a level with those types of players.
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Comment number 67.
At 13th Dec 2011, kanchelskis_legend wrote:4.
At 08:14 13th Dec 2011, dogeared wrote:
The result hinged on the red card however, City couldn't regain their composure after that.
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Rather like United in the only league fixture they've lost this season, eh?
Just think, if it wasn't for that joke of a penalty that Newcastle were awarded, Utd and City would be level on points. Thought City were supposed to have it wrapped up by Xmas?
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Comment number 69.
At 13th Dec 2011, Barca500 wrote:Nice to see the football circus is at it again. Reading far too much into one result. This is a good result for Chelsea and keeps them in the title race, nothing more than that. City have lost their unbeaten record but being top after 15 matches is exactly where they would want to be. Having played United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs away already, they will be delighted.
Chelsea didn't win the game last night, Man City threw it away. If City had been clinical in the first half, the game would have been over. Getting a foolish red card made things even harder for themselves. And the penalty? Well it was just stupidity on the part of Lescott. Its a tough lesson for Mancini's men but ultimately they will be better for the experience.
City were never going to walk away with the league title this year, the premier league is too competitive for that. There are several teams that can win the title and it will be fascinating to see how it concludes over the coming months.
The biggest problem that Roberto Mancini has is he clearly doesn't know his best eleven. He is just changing players for the sake of it and that isn't helping the situation. The Italian is also prone to making the odd poor decision. Why he took Aguero off last night is still a mystery.
As for Chelsea, they still have problems. Clearly there is tension in that dressing room and how they manage that situation will be key. People keep pedalling the line that United are always stronger after the turn of the year. That has been true but their squad is mediocre compared to those previous vintages and I suspect they won't go on an amazing run this season.
The reality is, no one can predict what will happen in the remaining matches, that is why the premier league is interesting. If all the teams fulfil their potential, City will win. But we all know it doesn't work like that.
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Comment number 70.
At 13th Dec 2011, Twirlip wrote:>"just going with my own opinion and the general consensus mate"
General consensus, eh? Well, lets have a show of hands, from people who have actually seen the alleged penalty.
No human being, on being kicked in the leg, responds by throwing up both arms in a "Hands up!" pose. If that was not a dive then there has never been a dive in the history of football.
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Comment number 71.
At 13th Dec 2011, Jeremy Lee wrote:A good win for Chelsea and hopefully that gives other teams the incentive to go and beat Manchester City – they are not invincible! One other point on the blog – there appears to be an assumption these days that an 'incident' in the penalty area is either a penalty, or if not, a dive. Surely it has been proved that apparent penalties turn out not to be when replays show the defender just gets his boot to the ball before the attacker falls to the floor? In this case, it's NOT a penalty, and the attacker, even though he may have crashed to the floor under the tackle, is NOT diving?
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Comment number 72.
At 13th Dec 2011, iwasgonnasaythat wrote:All the usual Blues knockers wingeing about the penalty that wasn't given!!!! Does it never happen to their teams, penalty given when it shouldn't have, or penalty not given when it should have?? Things even themselves out over a season. Also no-one wants to mention that Y Toure should not have been on the park following a blatant kick and slap. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!!
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Comment number 79.
At 13th Dec 2011, kanchelskis_legend wrote:76.
At 09:28 13th Dec 2011, Twirlip wrote:
I expect City to win easily in the FA Cup matchup.
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On the basis of United's weaker defence?
Have a quick look at the 'goals against' column:
Fewest conceded in the league.
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At 13th Dec 2011, krisiordanov88 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 89.
At 13th Dec 2011, jwl86 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 90.
At 13th Dec 2011, Londoner in exile returns wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 91.
At 13th Dec 2011, David Rolls wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 92.
At 13th Dec 2011, jwl86 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 93.
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Comment number 94.
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Comment number 95.
At 13th Dec 2011, U15001102 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 96.
At 13th Dec 2011, The_soul_patch_of_David_Villa wrote:This just goes to show how terribly predictable and uncompetitive the EPL is. In most normal, competitive leagues around the world, it's pretty common for title-chasing teams to slip up against anybody else in the league.
Whereas, in the EPL, the top team slip to a narrow away defeat to the third best team in the league, and now people are going on about how the whole dynamic of the title race has changed! All because of one result. The EPL is even more predictable than the SPL.
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Comment number 97.
At 13th Dec 2011, KEW wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 98.
At 13th Dec 2011, Theophane wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 99.
At 13th Dec 2011, beardsmoreforengland wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 100.
At 13th Dec 2011, The_Hacienda FAC51 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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