Stunned Into Disbelief!?!
Champions
By BlueBlood
May 3 2005
They say 'What goes around, comes around.' Tonight at Anfield, Liverpool secured their place in the Champions League Final in Istanbul, in three weeks time with a goal that can never be proved or disproved as to whether it was a goal or not.
Liverpool will argue that they had a certain penalty denied from a Tiago handball when the two teams met in January and then in February, when Steven Gerrard's own goal in the Carling Cup final brought Chelsea back into the game and then eventual winners of the trophy. As it proved Super Frank Lampard's miss in the 1st leg certainly proved costly as Garcia's effort in the third minute proved to be the decisive strike, despite the gallant efforts of Gallas as he tried to clear the ball before it crossed the line. Or did it? TV evidence proved inconclusive. It looked liked the only object over the line was Gallas' boot, but the goal was given and fair play to Chelsea they accepted the decision and got on with it. With eighty-six minutes to go, plenty of time to get over the bad start and score at least one. Well you would have thought so. For all of Chelsea's possession they played straight into Liverpool's defensive formation of four at the back and five in midfield. With no Duff or Robben to give the Chelsea attack width, it was a struggle to break a resilient Liverpool down. Every time a Chelsea player had the ball in Liverpool's half, there were always two red shirts closing down and Chelsea just did not have the guile or intelligence to shake off the close continental marking system. When Chelsea did get a sight of goal, Drogba sent a free kick high, wide and handsome. Lampard forced Dudek into his first serious save over the two legs and right at the deep end of six minutes of injury time, Gudjohnsen sent a fierce drive whistling past the post. Robben did make it onto the pitch, but played himself in midfield, forcing poor of Gallas to run the wing, I just felt that Robben wasn't interested, that he wasn't 'up for it' chomping at the bit to get out there and cause loads of damage down Chelsea's left or Liverpool's right, but it never happened. Kezman came on and again another player who has had limited opportunities this season, failed to make his mark. Chances were few and far between. Drogba, another player who this stage was set for, looked as if he couldn't care or didn't want to know. What few chances there were could not be taken and for that, for the 2nd successive season, Chelsea are beaten semi-finalists. Coming back to the only goal of the game, we will never know if the Slovakian ref would have awarded Liverpool a penalty and send off Petr Cech as he appeared to have brought Baros down. The ref appeared to move the whistle towards his lips, but played the advantage and therefore Garcia went on to score his goal and because of the inconclusiveness of the goal, Chelsea fans do not have the consolation of debate. But what Chelsea fans have is the Premiership trophy. The priority trophy over any competition, over any other trophy and of course the Carling Cup. What Chelsea fans must get over quickly and before Saturday's celebration day at Stamford Bridge is 'The How Did We Not Score At Anfield Tonight' feeling. CHAMPIONS, CHAMPIONS, CHAMPIONS KEEP THE BLUE FLAG FLYING HIGH