INTER 2-1 CHELSEA
Ok, I’m going to try and be as positive as I can about last night or at least as positive as I can be after a 2-1 defeat to Jose Mourinho of all people. Because let’s face it, the man’s ego is already the size of a house, so after a win against ‘his team’ it’ll be around the size of a small village between now and the return leg.
I’m going to start with a moan about team selection though because it really has to be said playing Malouda at left-back with Kalou ahead of him is about as good an idea as Ashley Cole trying to apologise to Cheryl. I mean, what on earth did he think it would end up like? As if playing Malouda there wasn’t a gamble enough, he opted for Kalou over Joe Cole and I can’t work out for the life of me why. Yeh ok, he might have scored and been bloody unlucky not to get a penalty but give me strength, how much did he fuck up for the majority of the game apart from that?
Anyway, onto the action and unfortunately for us, Inter were ready for it before we’d even warmed up. Milito took advantage of John Terry’s head being in the cloud’s before there were even 3 minutes on the clock, beating Cech at his near post. We responded well though, and had our chances to equalize – notably with Didier Drogba cracking a free-kick against the bar fifteen minutes in. Somehow even Ballack came close, which considering a boot to the head had left him seeing stars, was no mean achievement.
Unfortunately for Mourinho, it seems them bloody snipers follow his sides around everywhere, as Milito fell foul – coincidentally as Carvalho ran past him. Good job the ref took evasive action, obviously waving his yellow card around to blind his line of fire, not that it helped much. But anyway, we got on with dominating the possession, unphased by whoever might be in the San Siro crowd and obviously just as unbothered by the smug look on Mourinho’s face whenever he knew there was a camera around. Drogba looked frustrated at himself as he volleyed wide and even Mikel had one saved from distance, so we certainly weren’t overawed at being a goal behind.
Eto’o, who’d been chatting rubbish in the press before the game, showed us exactly what he was talking about, with a very nice air shot six yards out – way to prove a point eh? And then the inevitable contentious decision – although there should have been no decision to make – as Kalou was brought down in the area by Samuel, who should have conceded both a penalty and a straight red. To be honest, Kalou looked so weak to the challenge if it hadn’t been a pen he was risking a yellow himself but that’s beside the point really – it was a pen and it simply wasn’t awarded. And why would the decision be given anyway? This is Chelsea in the Champions League after all.
Back after the break and my first reaction was ‘what?? No changes????’ But we continued to push Inter with Drogba going wide with his head. Not to worry though, because workman-like night for Ivanovic saw him go on a run past a couple of their players before giving it to Kalou to slot home. Of course, the inevitable questions were asked as to whether poor old Cesar was really well enough to play after his recent accident although that matters little to a manager like Mourinho, who’d drag his players off life-support if needs-be.
The jubilation lasted all of four minutes though, as Cambiasso blasted past the helpless Cech. Shame that by the time it got as far as Cech we’d had at least three opportunity’s to clear it but then again, if Kalou’s ability to retain possession had been any better than a schoolboy’s on the night, we wouldn’t have found ourselves in that position anyway.
And then, as if being 2-1 down didn’t seem enough of a disaster, with just an hour gone, Petr Cech stretched to collect a cross before immediately signaling to come off. We still had a couple of chances after his departure but then so did Inter and bringing Sturridge on for Kalou late on was too little too late.
Still, on the positive side, whilst we definitely could’ve got a better result out of it, we have got an away goal and not matter what Jose Mourinho has to say in the press, he will know he needed a better result than he got because if anyone should know we’re a different side at Stamford Bridge – he will.
