Michael Ballack punishes United's impertinence
By Roy Collins
Sport.Telegraph, 27th April 2008
Manchester United remain hot - or at least lukewarm - favourites for the
Premier League title, albeit that the most likely way they will hang on
to their crown is by the hollow margin of goal difference, which is a bit
like winning an election on a recount. But what Chelsea's magnificent
fightback has done is to remove any margin for error at a stage of the
campaign when one slip, one momentary loss of concentration or one
clumsy handball, like the one from Michael Carrick that delivered victory
by penalty here, can destroy a season's work.
On top of that, United have been tripping over every paving stone and
discarded supermarket trolley on what was supposed to be a clear road to
the title these past few weeks, collecting just five points from their
last four games. And should they now fail to win their final two matches
to take the title, manager Sir Alex Ferguson will have some explaining
to do about his remarkable gamble with his team for this match, which
bordered on impertinence. With only a point needed to make it all over
bar the shouting, Ferguson left Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez on
the bench, while Paul Scholes sat in the stands.
If it looked like a calculated insult to Chelsea, which would also allow
United to negate the value of any home victory, Fergie will argue that
it was a necessary resting of his most valuable troops before Tuesday's
Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona at Old Trafford.
If they had hung on to the point that was theirs for the taking, after
Wayne Rooney's first goal against Chelsea - at the 16th time of asking
- people would have applauded his courage.
As it is, critics will now be questioning his judgment, and possibly his
sanity, because that is the way it is in a results-driven business. All
the judgment calls from outside the touchlines are made with the splendid
aid of hindsight, though many of us did raise both eyebrows when the team
sheet emerged from the away dressing room.
No wonder Chelsea manager Avram Grant had such a broad smile when a
shirt-sleeved Fergie greeted him on the touchline before the game. Hugs
and jokes followed but, at the end, Fergie offered only a handshake and
a face of thunder while a bare-chested Chelsea captain John Terry raised
a clenched fist of triumph to the fans before punching the Perspex side
of the retractable tunnel as he took his leave.
Grant simply raised his eyes to the heavens before accepting the applause
of Chelsea fans. Given that they have been openly hostile to him for much
of his time in charge, a lesser man might have offered a rude gesture
in exchange. This was his moment, vindication of his softer style of
management since taking over from Jose Mourinho and sweet revenge for
defeat at Old Trafford in his first game in charge last September.
Now Avram Who? can not only plant both feet in Chelsea history, as only
the third manager to win the title, he can succeed where Mourinho failed
by guiding his team past Liverpool in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final
second leg. Grant, who refused to say whether Chelsea were still in the
title race after the win at Everton 10 days ago, now says: "Of course we
can win it. If you are not optimistic now, you shouldn't be in sport."
With the sun on their backs, Chelsea's thoroughbreds started as though
they fancied their chances of posting the 10-0 victory that would have
seen them go top of the Premier League, rather than the proud share of
it that they have claimed. Yet they seemed to be running out of steam
when Didier Drogba's lovely right-wing cross allowed Michael Ballack to
head them in front in first-half stoppage time.
United were so negative in the opening half, with Rooney on the wing
much of the time in a 'none up-front' formation, that it was miraculous
that he and Ryan Giggs were flagged offside in quick succession. But
United are never that quiet for long - Barcelona on Wednesday
notwithstanding - and when Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho messed
up a free-kick, Rooney produced a wonderful finish off a post.
It all turned nasty after that, officials from both sides haranguing
fourth official Mike Riley, while Drogba and Ballack argued with each
other over who was to take a free-kick on the edge of the box. Drogba
won that one but when Carrick handled Michael Essien's cross five
minutes from time, not seen by referee Alan Wiley but spotted by
assistant Shaun Proctor-Green, the Drog sensibly handed over
responsibility to Ballack. When you have a pressure penalty, always
entrust it to a German.
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