WATFORD 1-3 CHELSEA

So, at the end of a busy week which saw Scolari depart and Guus Hiddink arrive, it was a trip to Vicarage Road in the fifth round of the FA Cup that awaited us. For this one, it was Ray Wilkins in charge, with Hiddink keeping Abramovich and Gollum company in the stand and I have to admit, all I wanted at the start was for us to get through it. As it happens, the game had its moments and whilst we controlled it for the most part, it wasn’t without its frustrations and the odd bit of bum squeaking – as is our way this season.

The starting line-up, whilst not ideal with players like Essien, Cole, Carvalho and Terry all missing, looked ok-ish, albeit with Wilkins still not brave enough to move away from Scolari’s preferred 4-3-3 formation. Drogba started at the point of attack, with Kalou and Anelka (yes, out of position again) just behind. And whilst Mancienne’s inclusion did please me (where was Bosingwa by the way?), Quaresma’s absence had me asking ‘surely he needs the games?’

From the first half then, I think it’s fair to say we had the usual possession, some good approach play and the best opportunities. But whilst we played the better football, we again failed to make our dominance count in the first 45 minutes of a game and their keeper only had a couple of real saves to make. Kalou didn’t seem aware of just how much space he could’ve had and was wasteful at times. He could’ve put us a goal up inside the opening minute although failed to get a boot to the ball in the box from a Drogba cross.

On the subject of Drogba, obviously I can’t write this without acknowledging he seemed to have undergone some kind of transformation and actually looked like he fancied a game. It certainly hadn’t passed Abramovich by either, who was positively wetting himself at seeing some signs of life in the Ivorian at last. He even looked to be on the same wavelength as Nicolas Anelka at times, with some heart-warming play leading to Anelka hitting the post ten minutes from the break.

Still, it was yet another one of them first halfs where we should’ve captalised on the amount of possession we’d had and yet all we’d got for our trouble was a 5^th yellow card of the season and customary suspension to follow for the sloppy Ashley Cole, and half a ton of turf on our boots from a pitch that seemed to be turning into a ploughed field in front of our eyes.

Second half and we came out pretty positive, again dominating the play – so why exactly did we find ourselves a goal behind in the 69^th minute? Probably because Cech was too far out and the linesman missed the offside as Priskin lobbed it into the back of the net. And I think this was about the same time as Ray Wilkins adopted some new middle names of the expletive variety as both he, and the Chelsea bench, remained far too static for my liking.

Fair play though, because finally, after 73 throat straining minutes, the stand-in Chelsea coach introduced Stoch for John Obi Mikel who, whilst he hadn’t had his best ever game, appeared to have been fouled all over the place to be fair to him. And then Nicolas Anelka, who looks a completely different player when played in position served up a masterclass in finishing to turn the game around. Because whilst Drogba’s enthusiasm seemed to fade a little as the game wore on, the 4-4-2 Wilkins went with gave Anelka a burst of energy which saw him equalise with an overhead kick in the 75^th minute, then head us in front just two minutes later.

Belletti made his entrance for a pretty knackered looking Ballack and then we headed towards the end the of the game which saw the sort of stop we’d forgotten Petr Cech had in him save us from a replay before Nicolas Anelka relieved our tightened sphincters with a turn and shot which found the left corner of the net.

TEAMS

WATFORD: Loach, Hoyte, Mariappa, DeMerit, Doyley, Smith, Jenkins, Lee Williamson (Cowie 67), McAnuff, Rasiak (Priskin 66), Hoskins (O’Toole 76).
Subs Not Used: Lee, Sadler, Harley, Parkes.

CHELSEA: Cech, Mancienne, Alex, Ivanovic, Ashley Cole, Lampard, Ballack (Belletti 83), Mikel (Stoch 73), Kalou, Anelka, Drogba.
Subs Not Used: Hilario, Di Santo, Quaresma, Ferreira, Deco.

GOALS

WATFORD: Priskin 69.

CHELSEA: Anelka 75, 77, 90.

Filed under: Domestic Cups, Match report