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Monday, May 01, 2006
+ Champions... AGAIN!!!! +
Chelsea clinched the title with a 3-0 home win over Manchester United - but Wayne Rooney was carried from the pitch on a stretcher with his World Cup dreams in disarray. Goals from William Gallas, Joe Cole and Ricardo Carvalho gave Chelsea a thumping win over their nearest rivals as the Premiership trophy spends another year at Stamford Bridge. the intensity, the passion, the pain. you wouldn't feel a THING if you just watched the highlights or read the newspapers. Wall upon wall of players clashed and counter-attacked as if nothing else mattered. Man U played for pride, former kings of the hill, old wounded tigers fighting the inevitable. Chelsea played for glory, usurpers to the throne, intending to keep it. To vanquish their hated rivals and lift the trophy on home soil. Gallas: a Chelsea old guardsman forced to play in left-back, considered leaving Chelsea, repays the fan support with a header and the crucial lead. 1-0  Terry: Stalwart Chelsea captain. Left writhing on the ground in agony early in the game. Rooney's studs crashed into Terry's shin as the pair challenged for a loose ball. He refused to be substituted. over his dead body. played on, thru the pain. Several times after the 60min mark he's on his knees, uncertain how far his aching leg will take him. Unbelievably, it carried him thru the full 90mins. Till he could place his hands on the trophy and lift it for all stamford bridge to see.  Rooney: ManU wonderkid. He'll keep fighting, with or without his team. As the fire left the eyes of Manchester United, people commented it was Rooney United from then on, has he picked up everyone else's slack. He picked up the ball when it spilled out of a Terry tackle on Louis Saha and accelerated clear of Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, going one on one with Petr Cech. Everyone, including me, thought the Chelsea lead was over. At the crucial moment, his shot pulled wide of goal. My sigh of relief, ManU's angish. 12 minutes from time in a fair tackle from Paulo Ferreira, Rooney tumbled awkwardly and rolled around in agony, clutching his right foot. It looked serious and he was carried off after lengthy treatment. He was applauded by the 42000 crowd, even Chelsea fans , who were all aware of the consequences of what they had seen. Petr Cech: Unworldly goalie, Great wall of Chelsea. Rooney smashes a sizzling low shot thru the legs of the Chelsea defense. A reaction save from Cech keeps the clean sheet.  Joe Cole: former trouble kid. Chelsea Winger with a taste for flair. Sir Alex Ferguson's team pressed hard either side of half-time but could not find a way through and Cole ended their faint hopes with a beautiful solo goal in the 61st minute. He picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and twisted clear of Rio Ferdinand and Mikael Silvestre with a twinkle-toed trick. Cole dragged the ball quickly under the studs of one boot then the other, turned, injected a burst of pace and was away. Edwin van der Sar rushed out to narrow his options, but Cole stayed cool, slotting the ball past the big Dutchman. He ripped off his shirt and sprinted to celebrate with Chelsea fans. They could sense the title was secure. Ref Dean booked Cole for his celebration, but nothing could dampen the mood of Chelsea fans. When we all thought the game was done and dusted, defender Carvalho added a third when Cole's pass found him free on the edge of the area and he blasted home a right-foot shot with the composure of a striker. Salt in the wound indeed. The Celebrations: Mourinho throws his victor's medal to the crowd, claiming he doesn't need a second one. He ditches his black scarf and dons a portugal scarf, country before club it seems. It is all too easy to dismiss Mourinho as an egomaniac, but there is always method to his madness.  See you next season. *raises wine glass*
ian wong beats around the bush@
11:32 PM
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