Chelsea 2 Liverpool 0 - league leaders ride luck but lay down title credentials

Are there more nerve-jangling games than against Liverpool? Whether the tightly-contested, tactical games of the Mourinho era or the goal-fests under Hiddink, games against Liverpool in the last few years have had that little something extra. Before heading to the game yesterday, I was surprised to learn  however that not only have Liverpool failed to score at Stamford Bridge in the league over the last five years (aside from last year’s winner, an own goal), Chelsea hadn’t managed a win over the reds at home in three years.

One of those records came to an end yesterday. Chelsea clinched an impressive, if slightly flattering, 2-0 victory. As always, I’ll leave you to read the paper reviews to recount the ebb and flow of the game in detail, but just a few thoughts in reaction follow… 

Liverpool, clearly feeling that they have a legitimate title challenge to make this season and wanting to make amends for a weak showing against Fiorentina earlier on Tuesday, came out of the blocks quickest and had the better of the play in the first ten minutes. Aside from that however, the only periods of dominance from Benitez’s side came in the opening minutes of the second half and in the closing twenty when Chelsea inexplicably seemed to go to sleep.

Outside of those moments however, Chelsea probably edged the game and deserved their win. What’s more, this was the kind of performance we have come to expect from Chelsea over the past five years. The likes of Drogba, Ballack, Essien and Terry were just too physically strong for Liverpool (and especially Carragher, who Drogba gave a torrid time), and Chelsea’s ruthless efficiency in front of goal was vintage Mourinho. That efficiency was the ace in the pack yesterday: this was a game in which both sides would only rarely let their guard down.

Chelsea’s back four were on top form – John Terry’s performance, in which he time and again out-thought or out-muscled Torres, should prove those cynical of his ability wrong – but Liverpool did carve out chances. Torres arguably could have done better with chances in both halves, and both Gerrard and Benayoun came close with second half efforts. But, unlike Chelsea’s, those chances weren’t taken and Liverpool were otherwise fairly well contained.

Gerrard (and Lampard too, if I’m honest) was largely anonymous, Torres dangerous only in fits and starts and Glen Johnson showed little of the attacking promise of recent weeks.

If Torres’ misses cost Liverpool a point, then Essien’s performance earned Chelsea all three. The Ghanaian was all-powerful in front of the back four, continually holding off opponents, breaking up Liverpool moves and building a platform for attacking play. Elsewhere, Ashley Cole was top class yet again, Ballack’s all round game was superb, Drogba gave a masterclass in leading the line (when he decided to stay on his feet) and Hilario was flawless between the posts. In the end, goals from Anelka and Malouda – both exquisitely created by Drogba - sealed the win. 

This wasn’t a free-flowing Chelsea performance by any means, especially in parts of the first half, but you wouldn’t expect that against a Liverpool side expert in nullifying opposition. Regardless, this was a performance that was good enough.

Looking for faults, you could point the finger at the side dropping too deep and not closing down quickly enough in the last twenty – which certainly contributed to Liverpool looking much more dangerous – but this performance was a far cry from Chelsea’s dire exploits against big four opposition under Scolari last season.  

It is perhaps a little ironic that, whilst Chelsea yesterday came through their second major test of the season with with a second win, it is only the inauspicious display at Wigan that now blights the Blues’ record. But let’s not kid ourselves: there are improvements to be made (possession football in the last twenty, anyone?) and yesterday’s result could have been different. Nevertheless, the result was well-deserved and things are looking good for top of the table Chelsea. Meanwhile, title-rivals Liverpool’s third loss in eight league games puts them just a couple of poor performances away from being out of the chase altogether. 

Is it worth all the nerve-jangling? With results like that, unquestionably yes.

bridgeviews.co.uk man of the match: So many good performances to choose from, but for me Essien was a cut above. Dominating through his physicality alone, his distribution was top notch and he was a at times unplayable. A performance befitting of the ‘Bison’ moniker.

What the papers say

The Times
“Small details, according to Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benítez, are what decide football matches. It sounds like the ultimate truism, but, after two of the Barclays Premier League’s heavyweight teams had spent an hour trading punches at Stamford Bridge yesterday, one of them briefly let their guard down and, from that moment on, Chelsea and Liverpool seemed to be heading in opposite directions.

“Little wonder that John Terry and his Chelsea team-mates celebrated as joyously as they did at the end. It had been a tough slog, a serious test of their mettle after a week in which they had been soundly beaten by Wigan Athletic and unconvincing in victory over Apoel Nicosia in the Champions League, but they had emerged stronger, two points clear at the top of the table and six points clear of a Liverpool team whose title challenge is already faltering.”

The Guardian
“Predictability was a delight for Chelsea. The side must reduce their opponents to fatalism when they have this durability and efficiency about them. Liverpool, eager as they were in the hunt for revival in the Premier League, were well contained.

“It must, of course, be a pleasure to the manager, Carlo Ancelotti, that there is searing reliability to Didier Drogba these days. Once again he could not be denied and in this case he set up both goals. Liverpool's effort was great and they may therefore be all the more despondent that they have been defeated for the third time in the league, with October barely begun.”

Comments

[Seb]

I can't agree with you on Lampard. He offered little offensively but was imperious with his defensive support. He covered Ash numerous times, not to mention the wonderful tackle which led to the goal.

[ph0bolus]

I thought Deco had a great game since starting last season..He showed signs of speed and his fancy footwork was a slight change of pace.

[Michael Hepp]

For my perspective this win is a fabulous sign. After the surprising loss to Wigan to win both the Champions League game not playing our best, and now this clear victory over Liverpool Ancelotti has proven to me he was worth the hype. We are winning, they are not the most beautiful football wins, but they are wins nonetheless.

Of course the season is very young, but this is an excellent sign for the future.