Avram Grant's stock rises after Chelsea victory
By Henry Winter
Sport.Telegraph, 23rd March 2008
Of the many surprises this eventful season, the sight of Avram Grant
outwitting Arsene Wenger ranks right up there. Short of Ashley Cole
becoming a referee or Didier Drogba surviving a game without medical
attention, the season may not produce any greater shocks than Grant
getting his substitutions as right as in the 72nd minute here.
Just when the words "taxi for Grant" were forming on thousands of lips,
the mood almost turned into "open-top bus for Grant" when his changes
brought two goals from Drogba. Almost but not quite. Chelsea fans
clearly remain sceptical about Jose Mourinho's successor. The terrace
jury will be out until April 26 when Manchester United visit the Bridge.
In the stock market of footballing fortunes, the wise broker will buy
United in huge quantities, sell every Arsenal share sharpish, even at
a loss, and hold on to Chelsea for a while longer.
There is life in the title race still, but it would be a major surprise
if United faltered now. Five points clear of second-placed Chelsea, the
champions effectively enjoy another point with their vastly superior
goal difference (49 to Chelsea's 32). United also have the best team
with goals all over, and the prolific presence of Cristiano Ronaldo,
surely the Footballer of the Year in waiting.
As United have waxed, Arsenal have waned. Eduardo's injury, William
Gallas' sulk, Wenger's poor team selection at Old Trafford in the FA
Cup: all have served to chip away at Arsenal's confidence. Gallas
sought to rally his nervous players before kick-off with constant
exhortations of "no fear".
Arsenal's captain repeated it, mantra-like, to Cesc Fabregas, Alexander
Hleb and Emmanuel Adebayor. He was clearly concerned. For 70 minutes,
Arsenal held their own, even taking the lead through Bacary Sagna, but
then old fears rushed back, cramping their movement.
Suddenly, the defence resembled isolated individuals, not a strong
collective. Suddenly, Adebayor stopped making those clever runs.
Suddenly, Fabregas and his fellow-midfielders were outmanoeuvred.
Suddenly, all the doubts came flooding back over Wenger's failure
to strengthen his squad in January. Chelsea recruited Nicolas Anelka.
Wenger refused to open a war chest reported to contain £70 million,
even though the defence urgently required cover and a top-class
left-sided midfielder would have helped.
Fear seeped into Arsenal hearts. Emboldened by Grant's introduction of
Anelka, Chelsea pounced. Drogba, clearly enjoying Anelka's ability to
distract opposing centre-halves, sensed Arsenal's fear and went for the
jugular. Like lightning, Drogba struck twice, ensuring Arsenal suffered
their worst run in the league for nine years.
If the garlands were rightly thrown Drogba's way, Mark Clattenburg
deserves huge praise for his handling of a derby that is occasionally
of the demolition variety.Although young, the Geordie exudes an authority
that players respect and he confirmed his reputation as the best referee
in the country after Howard Webb.
Gathering both captains beforehand, Clattenburg urged them to make it
a good, clean fight and both sides responded. Emmanuel Eboue's fuse
burned for a while but Arsenal's Mr Combustible calmed down eventually.
Even Ashley Cole kept his studs down and his mouth closed.
The only person who really fell foul of Clattenburg was Chelsea's
goalkeeping coach, Christophe Lollichon, who was asked to vacate the
dug-out for holding on to the ball and incurring the wrath of Wenger.
It was the only argument Chelsea lost all afternoon.
They were definitely tested for 70 minutes. Arsenal looked confident
as the game unfolded. Fabregas delivered a sublime pass to Hleb, before
teeing up Robin van Persie. The Dutchman's magic wand of a left foot
almost conjured up a goal; his first touch controlled the ball, his
second drew a low save from Carlo Cudicini.
Back came Chelsea, suddenly going direct as an absorbing game flowed
from end to end. John Terry lifted a long ball forward, which Drogba
initially read well, getting goalside of Gallas. He should have scored,
but misjudged the ball's speed which bounced off his knee.
Tempers briefly flared. Wenger accused Michael Ballack of diving over a
Fabregas challenge. Eboue, already cautioned for breaking early from a
wall, flirted with dismissal with a series of moans.
But this was football played with proper intent, with respect to the
fore. Fabregas produced a superb dispossession of Salomon Kalou. Then
Manuel Almunia saved brilliantly from Ballack and Joe Cole.
The drama was only beginning. The second half produced classic fare, the
tone set from the moment Cudicini denied Mathieu Flamini. Back came
Arsenal again, this time more fruitfully. When Fabregas curled a corner
towards the near-post, all Arsenal players were closely marked apart
from one. Sagna had escaped Kalou and the Frenchman's flicked header
was perfect, angled to bisect Chelsea's keeper and his upright for his
first Arsenal goal. Why teams do not place full-backs guarding each post
remains one of the mysteries of the modern era.
The resolve in Chelsea's ranks shone through. Ballack tested Almunia again.
Arsenal's defence needed to be at their best to resist the rising blue
surge. When Sagna slipped and twisted his ankle, Arsenal lost one of the
pillars of their defence. Reorganising the back-line produced what Wenger
lamented afterwards as a "disturbance".
Too true. Eboue went to right-back, Hleb pushed across to right midfield,
Van Persie shuffled across, allowing Abou Diaby in on the left of midfield.
Yet it was Grant's substitutions that initially drew most concern,
particularly the arrival of Juliano Belletti. Fans cried "you don't know
what you are doing" and chanted for Mourinho.
What happened next was certainly special. Belletti's installation at
right-back allowed the excellent Michael Essien into midfield. Belletti
also made his mark, delivering a long pass to Drogba. The ball continued
through to Frank Lampard and then off Toure and back to Drogba. With his
right foot he sent it racing low past Almunia from 20 yards: 1-1.
Drogba's celebrations were almost as spectacular as his goal, whipping
his shirt off and then throwing himself into the front row of the stalls.
Clattenburg waited patiently to administer the yellow card. Drogba
shrugged his shoulders, and set about embarrassing Arsenal again.
Clearly enjoying Anelka's company, Drogba plundered his second eight
minutes later. Another Belletti delivery set the scene, this time Anelka
becoming involved, rising above Gallas to flick the ball on to Drogba.
Toure slipped, allowing the ball to travel through to Drogba, whose
response was terrific. Despite being off-balance, he connected well
with the ball, firing it down and in. United, though, were the big
winners this weekend.
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