Saturday, May 15, 2010

A HISTORIC DAY FOR CARLO AND THE CHELSEA LADS


Chelsea's supposed lack of history has become a familiar refuge for the desperate and just the plain old jealous since the advent of the riches of the Roman Abramovich era.

The refrain is used around Premier League grounds to suggest any success enjoyed at Stamford Bridge is solely down to the wielding of the mighty Russian chequebook - and is a factual nonsense.

This is, of course, the club that won the European Cup Winners' Cup by beating Real Madrid as far back as 1971 - even before a succession of magnificent Liverpool teams started their haul of silverware on the continent.

It never does any harm, however, to write fresh chapters in the record books to serve as a timely reminder to your doubters and Carlo Ancelotti was the author as Chelsea deservedly beat Portsmouth in the FA Cup final to complete the first domestic Double in the club's history.

And Chelsea added to the Premier League crown won with an 8-0 victory against WiganAthletic last Sunday after an incident-riddled Wembley encounter that belied their one-goal victory margin.

Chelsea struck the woodwork five times in the first half alone and each side missed a penalty for the first time in FA Cup Final history, with all the action played out on another horrendous Wembley playing surface.

Kevin-Prince Boateng will reflect for the rest of his days on the missed penalty, saved easily by Petr Cech, that could have given Portsmouth an unlikely lead after Chelsea had spent the first 45 minutes peppering the frame of David James' goal.

Boateng's sinking feeling was compounded within minutes when Didier Drogba, unstoppable on any sort of Wembley turf it would appear, placed a free-kick perfectly beyond David James on the hour.

Chelsea were even able to survive the rarity of a Frank Lampard penalty miss in the closing moments before celebrating a triumphant end to Ancelotti's first season.

The weight of expectation on the shoulders of the laconic Ancelotti was emphasised when, after making Chelsea only the seventh club to win the league and FA Cup Double, it was suggested he swiftly needs to turn his attention to winning the Champions League to satisfy Abramovich's lust for domination.

But expectation is a burden that sits easily with the relaxed figure of Ancelotti, who suggested a success that may help Chelsea's fans push the memories of the wonders of the Jose Mourinho era even further into the background, was



modest to a fault when asked about his new status as the man who made Stamford Bridge history, he said: "I am normal. I am lucky to find AC Milan and then to find another fantastic club, a club where my job is easy."

And the other key contributor to Chelsea's landmark feat was Drogba, who scored in his third FA Cup Final, adding to his winner against Manchester United in 2007 and his goal in the victory against Everton last season.

Drogba remains one of the Premier League's prime drama queens, but overriding all this is his unquestioned status as a world-class striker with the complete set of weapons in his armoury.

He is dangerous from any range, as he proved with his decisive contribution from 20 yards and another staggering first-half free-kick that James turned on to the bar and down on to the line. Near or far, he is never anything less than a menace when in the mood.



Ashley Cole ended a traumatic season by becoming the most successful player in FA Cup history as Chelsea completed the Double.
The 1-0 victory against Portsmouth at Wembley yesterday made the defender the first player to lift the trophy six times in more than 120 years of Cup competition.

But he was not the only record-setter, as Didier Drogba became only the second player after Ian Rush to have scored in three different Cup finals.'It's fantastic that we've achieved the Double,' said Drogba, who took his season's tally to 37 and has scored in all six games he has played at Wembley for Chelsea.

And, at the conclusion of a time of personal trauma, John Terry can now go into the history books as the Chelsea captain who lifted the title and the FA Cup in the space of six days.

There seemed some disquiet, surprise even, that former England captain Terry was so outspoken and openly critical of the Football Association and Wembley's pitch after the game. As someone who has suffered this awful experience on a regular basis, he is well within his rights to do so and his words hit the mark.

Chelsea may also be entering a period of renewal, with fresher, younger faces likely to be injected into a side laced with vast experience.

And it is something Ancelotti appeared to be planning for just minutes after what is becoming a bit of a habit, namely taking the acclaim of Chelsea's fans.

Chelsea have a history - and Ancelotti could relax with a glass of his beloved fine red wine safe in the knowledge that he has added to it spectacularly in the last week.

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