Reflections on Chelsea's 1-0 Win Against Manchester United

Chelsea’s match against Manchester United on Monday lunchtime didn’t quite live up to expectations, but Blues fans will be more than happy with the narrow victory which takes their team to Wembley yet again.

However, despite being a rather scrappy affair, the game deserves to be remembered for two sublime moments.

First, there was Demba Ba’s sensational goal, which settled the tie. Not a great deal appeared on when Juan Mata received the ball some 40 yards out, but the little Spaniard delivered a delectable chip over the top of the United defence, anticipating Ba’s forward run beyond his marker, Rio Ferdinand.

Stretching out a telescopic leg, Ba just managed to reach the ball before it ran harmlessly through to David De Gea, and guided a cushioned volley past the stranded United goalkeeper into the far corner. A truly wonderful goal.

Then, there was Petr Cech’s fantastic save from Javier Hernandez, which preserved Chelsea’s narrow lead. The Mexican striker did superbly to connect with a right-wing cross from Danny Welbeck, diving full length to send a header toward the Blues’ goal which seemed destined for the roof of the net.

Cech, though, had other ideas, sticking out his left hand to palm the ball over the bar, even while the rest of his body was moving in the opposite direction. It was a save to rank alongside the very best, such as Gordon Banks’ legendary effort against Pele at the 1970 World Cup.

For more thoughts on a compelling cup tie at the Bridge, read on.         

1. A Team Picked to Win

Rafa Benitez attracted much criticism for his team selection for Chelsea’s defeat at Southampton on Saturday, but given the lack of recovery time before the cup clash with United, it was unrealistic to expect all the Blues’ big names to play in both games.

Fans will have their own views about whether he was right to put out a markedly stronger side against United than the Saints, but the Spaniard was probably correct in thinking that only Chelsea’s best XI would have a chance of getting the better of the Red Devils.

After all, the Blues had had to mount a stupendous second-half comeback up at Old Trafford even to bring Sir Alex’s men back to the Bridge, and another tight encounter was very much on the cards.

So there were returns for the likes of David Luiz, Juan Mata and Demba Ba, and all three played their part in a famous victory.

Yes, the points dropped at St Mary’s still rankle, and certainly, if the Blues fail to qualify for the Champions League next season, that defeat on the south coast will surely be seen as a key moment.

However, Chelsea still have every chance of finishing third or fourth in the Premier League, and if they also win the FA Cup, Benitez will feel thoroughly vindicated in his rotation policy. 

2. Unsung Heroes

A number of Chelsea players underperformed at Southampton on Saturday, Branislav Ivanovic and Ryan Bertrand being among those who put in substandard displays which contributed to the Blues’ surprise defeat.

It was good, then, to see the pair back on form against United. Ivanovic in particular was extremely solid at the back, making a number of vital interceptions and clearing numerous crosses.

Bertrand, in his own understated way, was equally impressive.

United might well have thought that the 23-year-old would prove to be a weak link when he came on to replace the injured Ashley Cole in the first half. Up against the potentially dangerous right-sided pairing of Antonio Valencia and Nani, Bertrand defended stoutly and sensibly and, even though his distribution was occasionally erratic, he will be rightly satisfied with his day’s work.

After his shock appearance in the Champions League Final last season, there were high hopes for Bertrand this term. His progress since that heady night has been a little up-and-down, but against United he showed that he can still hope to become Cole’s eventual successor at left-back.    

3. City at Wembley

For the fifth time in seven years, Chelsea have advanced to the semifinals of the FA Cup, but with Manchester City barring their path, it will take a monumental effort for the Blues to reach the final for a second consecutive year.

With Wigan taking on Millwall in the other semifinal, it’s tempting to see the clash of the London and Manchester blues as effectively the cup decider. That would be a little premature, especially given that Wigan showed in their 3-0 demolition of Everton in the last round that they can be tricky opponents on their day.

Still, there’s no doubt that the Wigan-Millwall semifinal is the less appealing of the two, and it will be interesting to see what sort of TV audience this meeting of the minnows attracts.

David vs. Goliath will always get the punters tuning in, but David vs. Dave is a much harder sell. 

4. Rafa Must Prioritise

The Blues’ hectic fixture schedule means that they are back in action once again on Thursday, as Russian outfit Rubin Kazan is visiting in the Europa League. Then it’s Sunderland on Sunday, also at Stamford Bridge.

Rafa Benitez will have to think long and hard about the teams he puts out for these two games, but he would do well to consider the encounter with the Black Cats as the more important of the pair and choose his sides accordingly.

After their defeat at St Mary’s, the Blues simply can’t afford to lose more ground in the race for a Champions League place, so a strong lineup against the Wearsiders is a prerequisite.

That may mean that the Blues are forced to play a bit of a mix-and-match team against Rubin, with the likes of Paulo Ferreira, Marko Marin, Yossi Benayoun and even Nathan Ake pressed into action from the start.

Consequently, if the game doesn’t go to plan, and Chelsea don’t get the two- or three-goal lead they would ideally like to take to Moscow for the second leg, then, frankly, so be it.

In the final analysis, three points against Sunderland are vastly more important than advancement in the Europa League—and, hopefully, Rafa’s team selections will reflect that stark reality.