Top DROGS Again!

The doubters came, and the doubters were proved wrong! After the meek surrender to Inter Milan in the UCL Round of 16 and the barrage of criticism following the complacent draw at Blackburn, the Chelsea squad proved how tough they are!

After comments flew in left and right that this team lacks energy, lacks creativity, has no spark, lacks the pace and the hunger to to handle a title run in, they bounce back with 3 wins on the trot. 5-0 vs. portsmouth, 7-1 vs aston villa (the tightest defence in the league according to stats until then) and finally a well deserved 2-1 victory against reigning champions Manchester United at Old Trafford!

The 1st half seemed like almost a play-by-play of United's defeat to Bayern. Chelsea kept the ball and just didn't let United near it. They frustrated them by stringing together 20-30 passes in each move and movi ng from side to side. Malouda continued his incredible form and Joe Cole seemed to be newly confident after a few good recent performances, and the 2 combined to give
Chelsea a deserved lead after a delightful flick by Cole left Van der Sar beaten all ends up. Two penalty appeals arrived, both of which should've been given and on the basis of which Gary Neville should've had a yellow card, and since he picked up a yellow card around the 60th minute as well, United should've been a man down.

Irrespective, United came out of the tunnel fighting. They made the game much more interesting in the 2nd half, threatening from the wings in particular as Valencia broke into space countless time but was under sustained pressure and produced few truly magical crosses! United kept pushing forward, but more than skill or flair, they played more with a steely determination, fighting to scrape through with a draw. When Drogba came on, his 2nd touch of the ball yielded a goal! Although Drogba was clearly offside, the linesman for some reason didn't raise his flag. The finish from Drogba though, was exceptional! Shocking yes, but as United scored only minutes later with a scrappy goal that came off Federico Macheda's chest and then his arm, the referreing errors seemed to even themselves out. Inspite of the great lift that United must have felt following that goal, they still failed to set up camp in the Chelsea half, and Chelsea maintained their composure and weathered the storm to pick up a much deserved win!

5 games to go....2 points ahead....4 goals ahead on goal difference....and the Blues March On!