FA Cup Final Chelsea 1 Manchester United 0:Chelsea seized the FA Cup with the same cautious philosophy that had helped Manchester United tear the Premiership from them.
The resilience of Jose Mourinho's side won out at Wembley, even if it would torture the truth to claim either club had clearly deserved victory. There must be admiration for Chelsea's durability but doubts remain about a line-up with scant spontaneity.
There were a mere four minutes of extra-time left when Didier Drogba struck impressively, and individualism is rationed so severely that games can be famished of entertainment. In its place is the monolithic conviction of a side beaten just twice, at Anfield on both occasions, over the 29 games following Petr Cech's comeback from a fractured skull.
If the rivalry with United were a direct duel Chelsea's pre-eminence would be indisputable. Alex Ferguson has got the better of the Stamford Bridge team only once in nine attempts since Mourinho hit England in 2004. That, all the same, does not invalidate United's claim to be the best side in England after reclaiming the Premiership in free-scoring manner.
Though Chelsea outlasted their rivals on Saturday, league football sometimes demands the opposition are taken by storm and Mourinho's squad could not do that, particularly when held in the critical goalless draw at Newcastle United a month ago.
After completing his set of domestic honours with the FA Cup, the manager explained his characteristically conservative plan for the final. "People think United are a very dominant team," he said. "I disagree. They kill opponents on the counterattack."
With that in mind, Mourinho ruled that Chelsea must have "a minimum of six players behind the ball when possession is lost".
His analysis of United is correct, though negativity is not really prominent in Ferguson's mind. He simply has several players, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, who love to spring from advanced midfield positions because that is where there is space to run. Chelsea were highly efficient in limiting that licence.
Each side operated with a single striker and, through a mixture of accident and design, the game was often immobilised. United looked as if all vitality had been drained from them in taking the Premiership and Ronaldo, in particular, was again inconsequential on a major occasion, although the sheer weight of his contribution to so many league victories means that his overall impact has been huge.
In the circumstances, Chelsea can claim to have rallied to greater effect than United on Saturday. Important players like Ricardo Carvalho were absent and, as Joe Cole noted, the team had suffered blows to its confidence lately. There was an initial focus on keeping themselves in contention.
Rooney was the most persistent menace and Cech made a significant intervention to beat him to the ball after a Paul Scholes pass in the 110th minute floated over Michael Essien, who had brought much to Chelsea's display without being able to conceal the truth that he is no centre-half at all.
Scholes had set up Giggs after 57 minutes with a chance that was volleyed over by the Welshman. At that juncture though, Chelsea were starting to resemble their old imposing selves and it was telling that Ferguson should switch Darren Fletcher from the right of midfield to an anchor role as United sought to contain Frank Lampard, who had rediscovered some of the energy drained away in the past month.
No one, all the same, had quite the vigour of Drogba. The Ivorian had little support until the substitute Salomon Kalou was moved nearer to him in the concluding phase of the final, yet he still showed commitment, pace and skill in pursuit of what lesser players would have treated as lost causes. In an all-purpose display, he even hit the outside of a post with a free-kick after 59 minutes.
Chelsea prized this invulnerable figure when so many others were in a state of disrepair. Joe Cole had his ankle in a bucket of ice before the match and his half-time replacement, Arjen Robben, who is recovering from a knee operation, could not complete the final either. The latter made way for Ashley Cole, whose planned ankle surgery will take place today.
Mourinho's side might have collapsed had Giggs broken the deadlock 14 minutes into extra-time. Rooney's low cross was perfect but the captain's finish was not and Cech saved.
Though the ball, unbeknown to the referee, Steve Bennett, was carried over the line by the goalkeeper it was purely because the attacker had crashed into him and the official should have awarded a foul.
Ferguson argued a penalty ought to have been awarded for Essien's challenge on Giggs, but the latter had not even been moved to appeal for one.
Drogba, after 116 minutes, provided the one piece of incisiveness. The one-two with Lampard was exquisite, the midfielder's return ball leaving defenders stranded. Edwin van der Sar was hesitant and Drogba, with a controlled dab of his right foot, lifted the ball over him and into the net.
In the fragmented minutes left, the names of three Stamford Bridge players went into the book before Chelsea's went on to the Cup.
- Guardian Service
MANCHESTER UTD: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Fletcher (Smith 92), Scholes, Carrick (O'Shea 112), Ronaldo, Rooney, Giggs (Solskjaer 112). Subs not used: Kuszczak, Evra. Booked: Scholes, Vidic, Smith.
CHELSEA: Cech, Ferreira, Essien, Terry, Bridge, Mikel, Makelele, Lampard, Wright-Phillips (Kalou 93), Drogba, Joe Cole (Robben 46), Robben (Ashley Cole 108). Subs not used: Cudicini, Diarra. Booked: Makelele, Ferreira, Ashley Cole, Kalou.
Referee: S Bennett(Kent).
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