Champions Finish In Style

Despite the best efforts of Sunderland to act as party poopers, the champions Chelsea eventually found the two second-half goals that made safe this home win on the afternoon when John Terry was presented with his fourth Premiership trophy and Jose Mourinho presided over a third such item of silverware.

Of course Sunderland wouldn't be Sunderland if they didn't attempt to throw a spanner in the works. Steven Fletcher, who had apparently been hopeless in front of goal against Arsenic, gave the visitors a shock lead, although perhaps Sunderland taking a shock lead at the Bridge is not the surprise it once was. Eventually the Blues wore the away team down. I expected this, given how exhausted, emotionally and physically, the Mackems were after their heroic 0-0 at Arsenil, an exciting team that now clearly specialises in 0-0 home draws! I still can't quite work out whether Arsenil really wanted to beat Sunderland or not. The evidence wasn't exactly compelling.

Meanwhile back at the Bridge, the Fletcher goal prompted a no-nonsense Mourinho to summon Costa and replace the legend that is Drogba. Although the boss showed no sentimentality in hauling the African lion off in the first half of his final fixture, his team mates at least had the excellent presence of mind to grant our hero of Munich a marvellous send-off by chair-lifting the big guy from the pitch. It was a perfect end to a brilliant career. Soon Loic Remy was also required to emerge from the bench and join the proceedings. In the event, it was our two substitutes who furnished the hosts with the three goals that ensured a happy ending to a highly successful domestic campaign. However, what I don't understand was why Hazard passed up the opportunity to reach the milestone of twenty goals for the season and allow Costa to take the spot kick instead. Mind you, Diego's conversion was emphatic and perhaps well justified. Maybe Eden Hazard feels that he has won enough accolades and silverware this fine, productive season! 

All that was left was for JT to lay his big hands on the Premiership trophy. Everybody got into celebration mood, perhaps tinged with the sadness that the great Petr Cech had probably played his last match for his beloved Chelsea. As long as he doesn't relocate to Arsenil, big Pete has got our blessings if he feels he must move on to pastures new.

Finally, it was great to see Drogba and Frank Lampard finish their Premiership careers on a high. Super Frank was captain for the afternoon and promptly scored in Manchester Mercenaries' home triumph against Southampton. By contrast, the tiresome media-hyped superman Steven Gerrard exit from Liverpoo ended with a 3-1 home humiliation by Crystal Palace and then worst of all a six-one trouncing at Stoke City. I guess that he who laughs last laughs longest. I call it poetic justice after we had all had copious amounts of Gerrard is a god shovelled down our throats for weeks and months. Yawn.

Happy summer, Chelsea. Get some fresh reinforcements. ManUre will be trying like the desperate bunch that they are to spend their way back to success. We can expect similar frantic business from Manchester Wannabes. The Blues definitely must tinker with their well-oiled squad to stay one step ahead of the chasing pack.  

CHELSEA 3 Sunderland 1; half time: 1-1. Sunday 24th May 2015.

CHELSEA team: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Matic, Mikel, Willian, Cuadrado, Drogba, Hazard. Used substitutes: Costa; Remy; Christensen.

CHELSEA goal scorers: Costa [penalty]; Remy [2]

CHELSEA LEADING SCORERS:

Costa - 21 goals

Hazard - 19 goals

Remy - 9 goals

Terry - 8 goals

Drogba and Oscar - 7 goals

Ivanovic - 6 goals

Fabregas and Schurrle - 5 goals

Ramires and Willian - 4 goals

Cahill and Matic - 3 goals

Zouma - 2 goals