Boleyn battle brings back good memories
“Chelsea pulled off an untidy but critical 1-0 away victory last night in a tense and sometimes violent encounter.
Unlike at other times during this endless cardiac arrest of a season, an early goal settled nerves after a lightning counter attack on five minutes was finished off by Arjen Robben.”
Good times.
Last night`s gritty encounter in east London had echoes of that equally dour struggle at Ewood Park one dank February night in 2005.
That win versus an uncompromising Blackburn Rovers outfit effectively clinched Chelsea`s first championship for 50 years by stretching our lead at the top to 11 points.
Eden Hazard`s smartly taken header last night at the Boleyn ended a move the little Belgian maestro himself started; it put the Blues five points ahead of Man City with a game in hand and 13 to play.
Though it’s not the commanding lead we held over Arsenal a decade ago, I’m not the only one who thinks last night’s battle might be the win we pick out as the one that got us over the hump (see West Ham 0 Chelsea 1 below).
Hazard was easily man of the match, as much for his tireless legs and tricky feet and his winning header, as for the fact that time and time again those legs and feet were hacked out from under him by, let`s say, technically over-matched opponents.
It isn`t just bewildered and plain dirty opponents that are hurting Chelsea`s star man; confused referees and linesmen (let`s be un-paranoid and say it`s because they`re confused) are doing their bit too. These officials are missing a large percentage of the relentless fouls committed against Hazard.
Something needs to be done to not only protect Chelsea`s crown jewel, but also send the signal to any superstars considering playing in the Premiership that their talent won’t be punished!
After the game, Hammers boss Sam Allardyce created some confusion of his own. The big Midlander felt that his team were “unlucky” not to come away with something from the game.
Is that despite the fact that even the kindest of referees would have sent serial West Ham offender Kouyate to the dressing room early – followed by Nolan shortly after? The former for obvious reasons plainly visible in any replay footage, the latter for going all WWE on Hazard almost every single time the little maestro attempted to make a forward run.
Or were West Ham unlucky because Chelsea have two of the world`s three finest goalkeepers in their squad?
And we don`t even want to hear about so-called penalties for so-called handballs from shots fired at point blank range, Sam: on that basis, Chelsea are owed some eight or 10 far more deserving penalties from the season so far.
In the end, most would say that the three open goals spurned by Ramires (2) and Willian – and the chance that a rust-free Costa buries every day of the week – made West Ham the lucky ones.
But that`s history. Champions develop selective amnesia. If José forgot Sunday`s cup final win within 20 minutes, then his mind was on the upcoming Champions League second leg within 20 seconds of last night`s final whistle.
Goodbye hammers, bonjour épées.
By Stan Wenners
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