Reading 1 - 2 Chelsea

[BlueLion. 21,491]

This has been illegally copied and pasted from CFC-Fans.co.uk

Reading 1 - 2 ChelseaPremier League - 15 August - Madejski Stadium - 20:00 kick-offDidier Drogba proved to be the match-winner, with his sumptuous fiftieth-minute winner ultimately decisive in a highly-entertaining match at the Madejski Stadium.José Mourinho pulled off a managerial master-stroke at half-time, bringing of the highly-influential pairing of Claudio Pizarro and John Obi Mikel, effectively turning the game in Chelsea's favour after a poor end to the first period.Petr Cech, usually assured and confident, seemed a little shaky on his return to the Madejski, where 10 months earlier he suffered a depressed fracture of the skull and may have played his last game of football. However, a strong team performance in the second half, coupled with cleverly-crafted goals from Frank Lampard and Drogba sealed the win and another three points, maintaining Chelsea's early season form and 100% winning start.Reading showed little fear against the Premier League's finest, and a sustained period of pressure from the home side meant that the Berkshire side would enter the interval with a 1-0 lead, thanks to substitute Andre Bikey.For the short journey out of the capital, Mourinho opted to use the basis of the team that had ended the win against Birmingham the Sunday before. John Terry was still missing, so Tal Ben Haim continued in central defence with Ricardo Carvalho; Petr Cech playing in goal. Paulo Ferreira replaced Glen Johnson at right-back; Mourinho opting to utilise the more-experienced Ferreira. However, Glen Johnson was named on the substitute bench, and would join the play before the close of the first-half. Ashley Cole played left-back. Captain Frank Lampard joined former Reading player Steve Sidwell in midfield, with Shaun Wright-Phillips and Florent Malouda playing as the wide men. Salomon Kalou made his second consecutive start of the season, alongside Didier Drogba who missed the previous game due to injury. Pizarro was relegated to the bench, joining Carlo Cudicini, Glen Johnson, John Obi Mikel and Joe Cole.Reading featured a number of familiar faces from the side that had finished eighth in the Premier League in their debut season. Ireland's rising star; Kevin Doyle played up-front with Shane Long - Steve Coppell opting to play a more attack-orientated team compared to the 4-5-1 utilised to great effect against Manchester United at the weekend. Stephen Hunt, the man responsible for Cech's injury the season before played wide left, with new signing Cisse featuring as well. Marcus Hahnemann, hero of the hour at Old Trafford on Sunday, continued in goal. A familiar face to Chelsea old boys appeared in Michael Duberry, playing at centre-half with Ingimarsson; the player whose own-goal settled the corresponding fixture last campaign.The opening exchanges were very lively; with Chelsea in their electricity yellow shirts enjoying the marginal majority of possession. The game was end-to-end with both sides creating good opportunities. The best fell to Drogba, whose first-time volley following a piece of wing magic by Wright-Phillips cannoned off the side of the post and behind for a goalkick. However, even if the ball had found the net it would have been chalked off; for Drogba was offside when the ball was played. A tight but correct decision by the linesman which could have gone the other way on a different day.The Blues were enjoying play in the midfield, with Malouda and Wright-Phillips acting as brilliant attacking options as both wingers graced the touchlines. However, with little over 10 minutes gone, it was Reading who enjoyed a brief spell of attacking superiority. Forcing a trio of corners, the Royals looked to have their first meaningful attack of the game, but the Chelsea defence, minus John Terry, demonstrated their aerial dominance. The towering Tal Ben Haim was responsible for two of three clearances from the corner; one an impressive header and the other a no-nonsense clearance as far from the Chelsea box as possible.Both sides were proving they will willing to loosen up in defence and move forward to attack, but neither team possessed a killer ball as chances went begging at both ends.With twenty minutes gone, it was time for the full-backs to get forward at every opportunity. Ashley Cole and Malouda linked well, but Cole's cross was well dealt with by Ingimarsson. Ferreira then crossed low in the box after a neat interchange between the Portuguese and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Looking for the run of Frank Lampard, the ball was to close to the goalkeeper and Hahnemann gathered as he went down to prevent the ball from reaching its intended target. Not quite what Lampard was hoping for, but Chelsea were displaying a more attack-minded attitude and demonstrating they were capable of playing an entertaining game of football.Then came one of the major talking points of the game, just two minutes later. Salomon Kalou's intricate footwork fooled the Reading defence and the Ivorian striker appeared to be hauled-down by former Chelsea defender Michael Duberry in the box. Referee Mike Dean waved play on, and Kalou looked as if he had been denied a clear spot-kick. Replays proved inconclusive.After twenty-eight minutes, Reading went ahead but not before Chelsea threatened at the other end. Malouda forced a corner on the near side, and his whipped kick found Drogba lurking at the far post. However, the striker's volley went more upwards than goalbound and sailed away for a goalkick - an effort uncharacteristic of Didier Drogba's very high standards.Duberry was forced off with a groin strain after he had stretched to deny Malouda space in the Reading box. His replacement, Andre Bikey, put Reading ahead after 15 minutes of his introduction, albeit incredibly fortuitously.Nicky Shorey, called up into the England squad for the friendly against Germany later in the month, floated a free-kick into the Chelsea box, a free-kick Tal Ben Haim could easily have dealt with. However, Petr Cech came racing out of goal and miss-timed his punch. His route to the ball blocked by his own defenders and a lack of communication, the unmarked Bikey at the far post had the easiest of tasks to slot home his first Premier League goal for the club, and to put the Royals a goal to the good. On the touchline, the disciplined defensive master that is John Terry sat shaking his head in disapproval of his colleagues at the rear of the Chelsea formation.To add salt to Chelsea's wounds, the ever-reliable Ricardo Carvalho was forced off moments later through injury. Glen Johnson was introduced to the fray and slot into the back four in between Ben Haim and Ferreira.Moments later, Reading had another excellent chance. Hunt cut inside and fooled Ferreira with his first-touch, and inadvertently passed to Doyle. The young Irishman cut inside to gain a yard of space, but his driven left-foot strike was directed straight at Cech; the Czech International gathering gratefully.Stephen Hunt was beginning to get the beating of Ferreira, and his cross to the far post found the Welshman Oster lurking, whose volley bounced back of the post. Cech arguably had it covered, however Chelsea were living dangerously as Reading put the Chelsea goal under constant bombardment.Glen Johnson was presented with a good chance to equalise before the close of play, heading goal wards after Frank Lampard had headed the ball in his direction. The young defender got enough power on the header but lacked conviction in the finish, as the ball went straight down Hahnemann's throat.By the time the interval had arrived, José Mourinho had already disappeared to prepare for his half-time team talk. Whatever he said, he soon galvanised the team into action. Deploying Wright-Phillips at right-back, he moved Kalou to the right-hand-side of the four-man midfield and introduced a second striker to play alongside Drogba. John Obi Mikel also came on for Steve Sidwell, who had been subject, along with Petr Cech, to a chorus of boos and vulgar chants from the Reading faithful.Mourinho's message was clearly understood when just 81 seconds into the second half, Frank Lampard put the finishing touch to a wonderful team goal. Wright-Phillips knocked the ball across the midfield, first to Mikel and then to Kalou. The Ivorian spread the ball to Pizarro, who combined with Drogba. The Ivorian's clever header found the run of Lampard who had burst forward from midfield. Doing what he does best, Lampard's power and speed cut the Reading defence in two, and clinically slot the ball under the advancing Hahnemann to put Chelsea back in the hunt.The Chelsea fans that had turned up in their droves to support their team were suddenly the only ones singing in the stadium, as Didier Drogba curled and exquisite 25-yard-strike beyond the despairing dive of Hahnemann after good, strong play by Kalou.The young Ivorian collected Ashley Cole's cross, initially intended for Lampard after the England midfielder failed to connect with the ball. Diverted to Kalou's feet, he pulled the ball back to his Cote D'Ivóire compatriot Drogba, who made no mistake in scoring his first goal of the 2007/08 campaign.The Chelsea fans, delighted, decided to thank their hosts for providing them with a new song. Initially sung by Reading fans in the first-half, the Blue and Yellow half of the north stand began a chorus of 'Sidwell, what's the score? Sidwell, Sidwell, what's the score?'All-of-a-sudden, the tide of the game had changed. Pizarro poked wide when he was one-on-one, but Hahnemann made himself big and imposing and put the Peruvian off-balance. He had another chance with twenty minutes remaining. Ashley Cole broke free and found Pizarro unmarked. Volleying first-time, his shot went feet wide of Hahnemann's post.Minutes later, Kalifa Cisse was sent off on his debut for a second yellow card, effectively ending Reading's chances of pulling a goal back. In the closing stages, even Marcus Hahnemann joined the Reading attack as the Royals looked to break down the Chelsea rearguard, but a brilliant last-ditch tackle by Frank Lampard and an impressive display by John Obi Mikel saw Chelsea through to full-time.Two games, two wins and five goals scored. Bring on Liverpool.Squads and RatingsChelsea (4-4-2): Cech; Ferreira, Ben-Haim, Carvalho (Johnson 30), A Cole; Wright-Phillips, Sidwell (Mikel 45), Lampard ©, Malouda (Pizarro 45); Kalou, Drogba.Goals Lampard 47, Drogba 50Booked Carvalho, Sidwell, Wright-Phillips, A Cole, Mikel Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Murty ©, Duberry (Bikey 28), Ingimarsson, Shorey; Oster (Seol 78), Harper, Cisse, Hunt; Doyle, Long (Gunnarsson 74).Goals Bikey 30Booked Long, Cisse, Hunt, IngimarssonSent Off Cisse 71Chelsea RatingsCech - 6 - A shaky performance in the first-halfBen Haim - 7 - Brilliant in defence, denied Reading space.Carvalho - 6 - Carvalho lead from the back, and marshalled the defence well in Terry's absence. InjuredFerreira - 6 - Made one or two mistakes but was solid in the second-half.A. Cole - 7 - Another solid performance by Cole, who tried to assist the wingers by playing clever cross-field balls.Johnson - 7 - _{- Strong display, looked assured at the rear.Lampard - 8 - Brilliant display, was strong going forward and tracked back to help in defence.Wright-Phillips - 7 - Involved once more, he seems to have found form at last.Malouda - 6 - Couldn't get into the game until the close of the half, sacrificed at half-time for Pizarro.Sidwell - 6 - Struggled at his old stomping ground.Mikel - 8 - Brilliant display yet again by the Nigerian. Turned the game around.Kalou - 8 - Fantastic performance by Kalou, involved in everything and so unlucky not to score.Drogba - 7 - Impressive display.Pizarro - 7 - Solid when he came on, unlucky not to score.Referee - 5/10 Reading - Stats - Chelsea1 - Goals - 26 - Shots on Target - 47 - Shots off Target - 72 - Blocked Shots - 28 - Corners - 515 - Fouls - 190 - Offsides - 24 - Yellow Cards - 51 - Red Cards - 0 51% - Possession - 49% Star ManFrank LampardViews of the Blues}

_{HA HA!!! Loved it! Their goal was Cech's fault but I don’t blame him one jot seen as he was in the place where he nearly died! He says it don't bother him but for that split second I think it did. And anyways seemed offside to me!Lampard and Drogba............what brilliant goals!!! The way Frank celebrated said to me he isn't going any where. I know alot of players kiss the badge etc but Frank really does mean it.Ohhhh that Cisse is a tosser! He should of been off along time before he was IMO!!! And as for Cunt , sorry Hunt, he really had it in for our players! Even nearly took out Cech again! What a tosser! Can't believe the Reading supporters booed Cech aswell, disgusting. And I swear Martin Tyler called Hunt , Cunt in the commentary on Football First lolso after a nice 1-2 Victory.............Man you draw at Pompey and the rent boy is sent of for having a rook right in front of Steve Bennett LMFAO!!! What an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!}

_{I think Doyle put his hand up and impeded Cech’s left(stronger) hand with which he was going to punch the ball for Bikey's goal.. was it just me and my blue lenses SWP was wonderful so were Glen, Cole and Ben Haim..}

_{I thought the same as BB that Doyle's arm somewhat got in the way of the situation leading up to their goal, not to mention the offside, but Cech should have dealt with it. But these things will happen, no-one is perfect.It was a great turn around, haven’t seen the full game yet, will be watching that tonight, but i thought we did well again. I think Sidwell and Lampard didn't work too well in midfield, i thought it restricted Lamps too much and when Mikel came on to let Lamps loose we looked much better.Great goals from the usual suspects}