Brazil duo inspire late title push

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Chelsea 2-0 Manchester City

FA Premier League - Sunday 20 March 2011 - Stamford Bridge

Late goals from Brazilian duo David Luiz and Ramires saw Chelsea beat Manchester City at Stamford Bridge to leapfrog their opponents - potentially inspiring a late title push from the champions.

After a frustrating and at times dour first half came to a close with the game predictably goalless, the scoring was finally opened on 78 minutes as Luiz scored once more against Manchester opposition; superbly glancing home a devilish delivery from substitute Didier Drogba. And a minute into stoppage time, Luiz' compatriot Ramires doubled Chelsea's advantage; superbly beating two City defenders before demonstrating impressive composure to finish beyond the advancing Joe Hart.

The three points available to either side were looking incredibly precious to both Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Mancini after second-placed Arsenal and fifth-placed Tottenham dropped points against West Bromwich Albion and West Ham respectively - and the win for Ancelotti over his old rival sees the Blues leapfrog their opponents on the Premier League table.

A very late push for the title may not entirely be out of the question - Chelsea would only be six points behind league leaders Manchester United should they beat Birmingham in their game in hand on April 20th, as well as having the opportunity to further close the gap with a trip to Old Trafford still to come - but second place suddenly looks a realistic target considering Arsenal's recent March capitulation, which has seen the Gunners lose the Carling Cup final, exit the FA Cup, drop valuable Premier League points as well as get knocked out of Europe by Barcelona.

Dropped points by all other London clubs this weekend - Chelsea were the only side from the capital to win - ensures that qualification for next season's Champions League suddenly looks far more likely with the Blues' nearest challengers continuing to falter. With Tottenham and Arsenal again betrayed by a lack of a cutting edge up front and United less-than-convincing, at this stage, it would not be entirely foolish to say that Ancelotti's charges could at least make the title race remotely interesting considering their remaining fixtures.

The Blues side that lined up to take on a Carlos Tevez-less Manchester City was one quite dissimilar from the team that sufficiently saw off FC Copenhagen in midweek - Florent Malouda, Fernando Torres, Salomon Kalou, Michael Essien and David Luiz all came in for Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Yury Zhirkov, John Mikel Obi and Jose Bosingwa. City, on the other hand, employed Edin Dzeko as a lone striker in the wake of Tevez' absence.

City have earned notoriety for their unadventurous tactics against the other members of the Big Five this season - with September's win over the Blues their only three-point haul over such opposition this term. However, with credible 0-0s achieved at the Emirates and White Hart Lane, it came as little surprise that Mancini's side opted to crowd the midfield - still, the first chance of the game fell their way on a rare foray forward; Yaya Toure's goalbound drive palmed away by the virtually unemployed Petr Cech.

That was to be one of the very few actions Chelsea's Czech custodian was to partake in, as the Blues set up camp near the halfway line. City were typically resolute defensively, as the Blues were finding it difficult to beat a wall of bodies that included the excellent Vincent Kompany, who twice denied Salomon Kalou as the Ivorian - a surprise inclusion - looked to tiptoe his way through the City defence. The one time he managed to slip his marker, he found his route to goal impeded by his own player as he was inadvertently tripped by Ramires.

It was proving to be a frustrating afternoon already - promising build-up play was met only by a considerable rearguard action from the visitors, who were doing their best to turn this top-of-the-table clash into a snooze-fest. Ashley Cole lashed narrowly over from 25 yards as the ball fell his way, before Torres saw his route to goal expertly blocked by Nigel de Jong.

It took 41 minutes for Chelsea to finally warm to the task and trouble Joe Hart, who will have been thankful that Kalou's excellent turn produced only a shot directed at the England international. Nevertheless, with Florent Malouda and Cole causing trouble down the Chelsea left and Kalou's movement creating space for the marauding Ramires, half-time came with a sense of renewed optimism about Stamford Bridge.

And it was from a very positive move early after the interval that the lead was so very nearly won, as Malouda's effort was saved by Hart after some brilliant interchanges between Lampard, Kalou and Torres teed up the Frenchman. Under pressure, his shot was tamely-directed and Hart was able to pounce, but Chelsea were now demonstrating a cutting edge up front and the movement of the forwards was causing problems for Mancini's men.

Michael Essien then tried his best from 25 yards but his effort was blocked by Kompany, before Ivanovic and Malouda followed suit in lashing over from distance. However, it was Ivanovic who was to come the closest with a second effort shortly after: his excellent goalbound header inexplicably turned behind by Kompany through a piece of exceptional defensive play as the Belgian directed the ball behind for an ultimately fruitless corner.

It was to be another goalless afternoon for Fernando Torres, however, as he was replaced by Nicolas Anelka, but there are certainly no signs he is struggling to adapt to life at Stamford Bridge as he enjoyed another positive display. Granted his goalscoring exploits - or lack of - will come as great disappointment to Chelsea supporters, Torres' movement was once again excellent and his partnership with the equally effervescent Kalou gives Ancelotti another creative dimension up top.

But it was Chelsea's other January signing who would steal the headlines. First he denied Dzeko a clear goalscoring opportunity with a timely block, before his presence in the penalty area was enough to distract the same City player as he attempted to guide a header past Petr Cech in a rare attack on the Czech's goal. However, it was at the other end where the stuff of legends is surely already being penned as Luiz dispatched an inswinging Drogba freekick in from six yards.

He might have made it two just moments later when another Drogba delivery was deflected just wide of first Michael Essien and then Luiz' outstretched foot as Aleksandr Kolarov made a timely intervention, but Chelsea were not to be denied the second goal their utter dominance deserved, and it came courtesy of the right boot of Ramires.

Picking up the ball 25 yards out from Essien, he first cut inside the hapless Gareth Barry before beating another City defender to surge into the box. A composed finish into the roof of the net from ten yards followed as the Brazilian celebrated his first goal at Stamford Bridge in stoppage time - and he was soon celebrating an absolutely massive win that moves Chelsea up to third in the Premier League table.

Suddenly life does not look so bad from a Blue perspective - third place would be consolidated with a win over Birmingham City in mid-April, but our attentions must now be directed towards the other Manchester club as the Blues prepare for their Champions League quarter final tie with Sir Alex Ferguson's United. First and foremost, however, are Stoke City at the Britannia - and potentially three points that could have a massive bearing on the title race.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chelsea (4-4-2): Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry ©, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard, Malouda (Anelka 70); Kalou (Zhirkov 77), Torres (Drogba 70).

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Richards, Kompany ©, Lescott, Kolarov; De Jong, Barry; Milner (Johnson 80), Y Toure (Balotelli 80), Silva; Dzeko.

The TalkChelsea.net man of the match was Chelsea's number 7, RAMIRES

[zolayes 14,489]

I expected city to come to defend but without Tevez they looked dreadful going forward ...not even a mid table side ...

only saw the second half but was delighted with the performance...Ramires looked like a Brazilian the way he scored ,,,Oh wait a second ....

[Tomo 21,719]

Even tho i could not for the world see them score i still felt some nerves in the last 10 especially when Balotelli came on, although he is a whinging prick he is capable of the odd moment of brilliance.

People moan about Torres but he is doing A LOT more than Dzeko.

[steve5221 91]

Torres is still trying hard, looking for the ball all the time and not waving his arms and moaning at team mates (although he has every right to have a go at that greedy prick Malouda)...

[MikeCFC 45]

Torres is still trying hard, looking for the ball all the time and not waving his arms and moaning at team mates (although he has every right to have a go at that greedy prick Malouda)...

Can't really see Malouda's problem with Torres tbh.If it is a problem then Malouda needs a serious talking to!.

[milllz 43]

well whatever the problem is, its needs sorting before the series of united games

[steve5221 91]

well whatever the problem is, its needs sorting before the series of united games

I don't want to be stereotypical or predudice here but french players ALWAYS seem to cause problems if not playing for a french manager......I'm still not keen on Anelka either. Since Torres has been bought Drogba and Kalou have really worked hard when given the chance, but those two (Malouda and Anelka) are trouble....remember how they behaved when Grant was manager??

[Madmax 9,219]

Thanks for the report Alex!

This game once again demonstrated why Kalou should always play as a striker, he was our outstanding player of the first half.

Player ratings : Cech (6.5), Ivanovic (6.5), Luiz (9.5), Terry (8.5), Cole (8), Essien (7.5), Ramires (9), Lampard (6), Malouda (4), Kalou (8), Torres (8), Drogba (7), Anelka (6), Zhirkov N/A.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

FA to investigate laser pen incident

[Madmax 9,219]

I don't want to be stereotypical or predudice here but french players ALWAYS seem to cause problems if not playing for a french manager......I'm still not keen on Anelka either. Since Torres has been bought Drogba and Kalou have really worked hard when given the chance, but those two (Malouda and Anelka) are trouble....remember how they behaved when Grant was manager??

It's two months since Torres arrived and I'm yet to see Drogba put in a performance like we all know he can. He was one of the poorest players on the pitch against Sunderland away (2 days after Torres joined) and maybe that tells us something. It's all right to talk in the press about how competition is good and healthy and how the club is bigger than individuals but attitude out on the pitch is what really matters.

[steve5221 91]

It's two months since Torres arrived and I'm yet to see Drogba put in a performance like we all know he can. He was one of the poorest players on the pitch against Sunderland away (2 days after Torres joined) and maybe that tells us something. It's all right to talk in the press about how competition is good and healthy and how the club is bigger than individuals but attitude out on the pitch is what really matters.

He has upped his work rate recently though. His form is poor at the moment but he is trying.

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

Absolutely loved Ramires' and Luiz' celebrations, had to watch them over and over again.

Btw, feeling bored? need a laugh? Well take a look: http://www.redcafe.net/f7/david-luiz-319347/index6.html

[magic weeds 446]

Luiz has them getting nervy and scared trying to compare with the uncomprarable. Atleast they do realize that he is an absolute class.

[Kojo 4,676]

Absolutely loved Ramires' and Luiz' celebrations, had to watch them over and over again.

Btw, feeling bored? need a laugh? Well take a look: http://www.redcafe.n...347/index6.html

Lol many bias comments in there, can't believe people actually think Smalling is better than Luiz.

[Tomo 21,719]

I don't want to be stereotypical or predudice here but french players ALWAYS seem to cause problems if not playing for a french manager......I'm still not keen on Anelka either. Since Torres has been bought Drogba and Kalou have really worked hard when given the chance, but those two (Malouda and Anelka) are trouble....remember how they behaved when Grant was manager??

Well if we need a french gaffer to sort them out Houllier will be avalible soon

[SinineUltra 1,170]

Absolutely loved Ramires' and Luiz' celebrations, had to watch them over and over again.

Btw, feeling bored? need a laugh? Well take a look: http://www.redcafe.n...347/index6.html

Also according to some of them, Darren Fletcher > Essien. I mean seriously, sober up