Chelsea Set The 'Mark' at Old Trafford
Champions
By BlueBlood
May 11 2005
Sir Alex Ferguson called for a 'mark' to be made against Champions Chelsea last night, but it was Chelsea that left their mark at Old Trafford. The 'Theatre of Dreams' has become a 'Theatre of Nightmares at least when the Kings Road boys visit.
This time Chelsea's visit was greeted it has to be said, grudgingly by Man Utd as they lined-up to welcome the new Champions of English football, even the partisan Old T crowd couldn't resist showing their contempt by sending down a crescendo of boos as Chelsea took the pitch. To be fair to the supporters of Manchester United, what was left of them, they did warmly applaud Chelsea at the end after they witnessed the Champions defeat the 'Red Devils' 3-1. Chelsea was without influential Captain John Terry, who is going into hospital today for an operation on his foot, an injury that manager Jose Mourinho says will take at least two months for JT to recover from. Robert Huth, the giant German International defender, came in and its was his misplaced clearance that saw Man Utd take the lead through Ruud Van Nistlerooy. A Scholes cross was deflected out to Rooney by Huth and Rooney hit a low cross deep into the six yard box, where Nistlerooy gleefully side stepped the ball in. Man Utd got the early 'mark.' Utd's goal seemed to set a spark alight within the Chelsea ranks. They forced their way back into the game, with patient possession football, and it was no surprise that Chelsea equalised, but the scorer and the way the goal was scored took everybody by surprise. Tiago received the ball about 35 yards out, he took a couple of steps and hit a shot that cannoned into the net from the inside angle of the post and crossbar. Roy Carroll didn't even move. Six minutes before half-time a wonderful counter after Tiago had won the ball finished with Gudjohnsen brilliantly serving Cole who lined up a 20 yard curler which shot past Carroll but just the wrong side of the post. At the start of the second half Chelsea were irresistible, attacking football had Utd on the rack Cole was hurt in a collision with Carroll after chasing a through ball, Cole then put Glenn Johnson through and the ball got stuck in between his feet and was cleared before he could untangle himself. Huth hit a fierce free-kick into the Utd wall, Fletcher countered by rattling Cudicini's crossbar with a 30 yard rasper and then on the other, Eider broke through the Utd defence receiving a ball from Tiago, and Eider raced through before delicately chipping the ball over Carroll and into the empty net. As hard as Utd tried they just could not muster an equaliser and five minutes from time, Lampard crossed from Chelsea's left and Joey Cole, who had run into an offside position coolly sidefooted the ball past a diving Carroll. The Assistant Referee didn't flag and the goal was awareded. Two more records came Chelsea's way last night, both surpassing Utd's past Premiership performances. Most points, 94 and most league wins, 29. At full time Chelsea received and gave their ovation to the travelling fans and were given an ovation by the remains of United's fans as they made their way down the tunnel back to the dressing room. Utd's end of season lap of honour, went down like a damp squid. Fickle fans, so fickle