The week started with a trip to Selhurst Park to face London rivals Crystal Palace, a team who Chelsea have never really considered massive London rivals despite the distance. No Costa, rumours about his hamstring injury that he was said to have aggravated on international turned out to be true, and he was out. So Remy started. No significant changes elsewhere. Six minutes in and Oscar scored a stunning free kick to put us 1-0 up, bending it outwards from the left into the top right corner. Great goal, I watched it on a vines link via Twitter as I was attending Comic Con that day. Then before half time, the two teams exchanged red cards in separate incidents in the space of 2 minutes! Azpilicueta/Dave getting a straight red card for following through and the Delaney sent off for Palace for a second yellow! Remarkable set of circumstances but it favoured Chelsea in the end as they managed to use the space well in the second half and eventually went 2-0 up. Tika taka football at its best as Fabregas played a one-two with Oscar before slotting home his first Chelsea goal! A sublime team goal! Campbell managed to tap in a consolation in stoppage time for Palace but the game was already won.
We then faced Maribor from Slovenia on Tuesday, the first time we had faced a Slovenian team before, int he Champions league. I went to this game with my brother, I definitely booked tickets for Shed lower, but then surprisingly found I had been sent Matthew Harding lower tickets instead! A nice surprise really, Shed Lower is an ok stand to sit it for atmosphere and you do have banter with the away fans, but Matthew Harding lower is always preferable. Missed the first 10 minutes though due to the ridiculous time it takes to get into the stadium at that end, but got in just in time to see Remy cut inside from the right and slot home left footed. Good finish, but then he went off injured. A shame really, but it meant Chelsea favourite son Drogba would make another Champions League appearance. With 23 minutes gone, Chelsea were awarded a penalty for a handball that I must admit, I did not see from where I was sitting, must have been well harsh is all I can really say! The roar that went up in the stadium though when Hazard, our usual penalty taker, gave the ball to Drogba to give him the chance to get his first goal since his return, was louder than the goal that followed! So Drogba, whose last Chelsea goal was the penalty that won the Champions league, scored his first since returning with a penalty. Sending the keeper the wrong way and Chelsea were 2-0 up. The third goal was a beauty, Chelsea breaking from inside their own half, Terry charging up the pitch as the furthest player forward as Hazard charged forward with the ball. A deft touch put Fabregas through on the right wing and the Spaniard laid on yet another assist, sending the ball across the six yard box for Terry to slide in and tap home Chelsea's third on 31 minutes. The second half was more of the same, but also more of the Hazard show. Hazard forcing an own goal from Viler on 54 minutes for 4-0, then scoring a penalty won by Ivanovic on 77 minutes. A classic penalty, tapping the ball as the keeper went the wrong way, and it would have made a great video on my phone had it not cut out as he went to take it! Then right at the end, I missed another goal, this time in person as I nipped to the loo early as I decided to make an early exit at 5-0. Hazard scoring arguably the best goal of the game with a right foot finish! Saw it on the TV screen on my way out but still gutted I missed it!
Onto the big match on Sunday - away to Man Utd! No Costa or Remy to injury so 36 Drogba was leading the line. Azpilicueta/Dave was suspended and Ramires (who I doubt would have been too involved) was injured as well so before the game, I would have actually taken a draw, funnily enough. First half was all Man Utd, Courtois being our best player as he kept out a few Man Utd chances, while Drogba forced a save from De Gea for our best chance. We should have also had a penalty as Terry and Ivanovic were both headlocked from a corner - wasn't too sure if I was watching Wrestlemania all of a sudden! Second half Chelsea kicked up a gear as you'd always expect, and Hazard almost opened the scoring as he went through on goal, but fired straight at De Gea who turned it around for a corner. From the resulting corner ..... step up Didier Drogba rolling back the years. A thunderous glancing header from Fabregas' inswinging corner found the back of the net and chelsea were 1-0 up! Glorious!
Now, where I was critical of chelsea in this game was that we were too sloppy the final third and lacked a 'killer instinct'. I feel United were there for the taking and, although most of the time it time it does work, I was a bit disappointed Mourinho decided to shut up shop when he brought Mikel on with roughly 20 minutes late. This allowed Man Utd to come at us as we soaked up some late pressure. Four minutes of stoppage were added (no idea where that came from) and with three of those gone, Ivanovic fouled Di Maria and was sent off for a second yellow card, he'll be banned now for QPR. Thirty seconds left ..... then guess what happened? Di Maria's free kick found Fellaini, his header was saved by Courtois but the rebound fell to Van Persie, and you can guess where he put the ball. Chelsea's bus smashed into by a Van.
So three points became one, but still things to be positive about. With Man City surprisingly losing 2-1 to West Ham, we had the chance to extend our lead over them to 8 points but had to settle for 6, that's ok. We're also still unbeaten and still top, that's ok too. Still no reason to worry and plenty to smile about!
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