Chelsea thrive after Peter Crouch's aberration
By Henry Winter
Sport.Telegraph, 20th December 2007
Blue was the colour, with strikes from Frank Lampard and Andrei Shevchenko
deservedly sweeping Chelsea into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup, but
red was the colour for Peter Crouch, deservedly sent off for a two-footed
lunge at John Obi Mikel.
Lampard had just scored when Crouch suffered his moment of unexpected
madness. Crouch spent so long in the air as he flew into Mikel that he
almost needed clearance from Heathrow as he came into land on Chelsea's
innocent No 12. With referees clearly being encouraged to punish dangerous
tackles, following a widespread debate about the number of nasty offences
going unchecked, Martin Atkinson had no hesitation in dismissing Crouch.
For nearly an hour, the game had just meandered along, like the Thames at
low tide, murky but unmenacing, giving no hint of the fireworks that were
to arrive. But when Lampard scored his deflected goal off Jamie Carragher,
a switch flicked in Liverpool's fuse-box and Crouch flew in recklessly on
Mikel, earning instant and deserved expulsion.
In an opening hour dominated by two excellent keepers, Petr Cech and
Charles Itandje, two sides who have been at each others' throats so often
in cup combat in recent seasons were all endeavour, but no finish.
This was their 10th cup meeting in three and a half years, and familiarity
bred containment. Notable absentees on both sides also added to the
occasionally disjointed air, certainly in the first period.
Missing Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres, Liverpool
had lined up in 4-2-3-1 formation; Andrei Voronin and Ryan Babel provided
the width while the hard-working Brazilian, Lucas, operated in the hole,
seeking to release the front-running Crouch. Lucas, though, spent as much
time racing back to close down Lampard as looking forward to assist Crouch.
They still linked up well at times. Scarcely 10 minutes had elapsed when
Lucas dispossessed Mikel and rolled the ball down the inside-right channel
for Crouch. Aware that support was slow in arriving, the England
international elected to shoot yet his aim was poor.
Liverpool took heart from such moments of promise against a home defence
welcoming back Ricardo Carvalho, but lacking real organisation in the
absence of the injured John Terry. When Babel dribbled in from the left
moments later, Chelsea's rearguard was caught ragged. As the unmarked Crouch
waited at the far post, Babel chose the wrong option, taking the low road
and his cross was blocked.
As well as Terry, Chelsea were also without Didier Drogba, the best all-round
centre-forward in the country. Strangely Avram Grant persisted with a system
designed for Drogba, 4-1-2-3, when Andrei Shevchenko patently prefers 4-4-2.
With Salomon Kalou and Scott Sinclair initially too distant from Shevchenko,
the Ukrainian struggled to impose himself.
He was not helped by a painful blow on the ankle, inflicted by Lucas, though
he climbed up and watched Lampard drill the free-kick into the Liverpool wall.
Eventually, the busy pair of Sinclair and Kalou tucked closer in to assist the
lonely No 7. Shevchenko even created a chance for Kalou, via Michael Essien's
dummy, but the Ivory Coast striker placed his shot too close to Itandje.
The young French keeper continued to impress moments later, saving superbly
from Frank Lampard after Jack Hobbs and Alvaro Arbeloa had bizarrely combined
to divert the ball accidentally into the path of the England international.
This was fertile territory for Lampard, running through with only an
onrushing keeper to beat, but Itandje managed to block Lampard's attempted
dink with his chest.
Both keepers were shining; now it was Cech's chance to show his class when
a quickfire Liverpool move saw Voronin and Crouch dovetailing to send Lucas
through. Cech was equal to the task, saving well from Lucas.
The theme of absent friends even extended to the officials as the linesman,
Paul Norman, limped away before the first whistle, having pulled up lame
during the warm-up. Peter Walton, the experienced referee, grabbed the flag
to show his versatility.
At least the hiatus allowed some more refugees from the gridlocked M40 to
enter the visitors' enclosure in the Shed, and sing everything from paeans
to Benitez and ditties of denigration to Lampard. "Where's your Mourinho?"
the travelling Kopites inquired of Chelsea, followed by "Rafa's the Special
One".
Lampard made light of Liverpool derision and the loss of Mourinho after 59
minutes. The second half had already seen an increase in tempo, with
Chelsea first to show. Sinclair and Essien had gone close, and then came
Lampard. Mikel clipped the ball into Shevchenko, who set up Lampard. The
England midfielder's shot caught the sliding Carragher and dropped in over
Itandje.
Then came Crouch's moment of madness. Liverpool, a man down, and a goal
adrift, knew they had their work cut out.
No chance. Even Shevchenko, hitherto badly off the pace, found the mark,
with a driven finish in the last minute.
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