fa cup final review: Chelsea 1 v 0 MANCHESTER UNITED

Match Review
F.A. Cup Final, Chelsea 1 v 0 Manchester United, Wembley Stadium, London, 15.00pm, Saturday 19th April 2007.
Goals: Chelsea: Drogba (116)      Manchester United : n/a.
Attendance: 89,826

A late goal from Didier Drogba defeated United at Wembley's all singing all dancing new Stadium,
a drab affair, which saw very little in attacking action almost went to penalties if it were not for the Ivory Coast internationals late effort.  SAF said it was because of "bad refereeing & fatigue" that the Reds saw a double slip away, but I cant help but feel he got his tactics very very wrong, United were poor in front of goal for the entire game, creating little or nothing as Chelsea squeezed United keeping six players in their own half at all times, therefore stifling Ronaldo's space & keeping Ryan Giggs and anyone else who dared to look creative under wraps, under no circumstance is your reporter blaming Darren Fletcher but SAF opted to play the young Scot in a 5 man midfield for the entire game & thus playing as slow pedestrian paced, cagey game suiting the Rentboys & Jose's tactics of defending right to the ground.

It might come as surprise to many to say that we have now not scored from open play since Chris Eagles scored against Everton nearly 450 minutes ago, In the modern game you may have to change tactically when the scenario suits & Alex Ferguson fails on almost every occasion, Milan (A), this FA Cup Final, Benfica (A) when we were knocked out, Copenhagen (A), Celtic (A) to name but a few, all times when you are being taken apart tactically or your having no effect attacking, up the tempo & change, move to another formation or plan. NOT SAF.

Not one person can say that our best football this year was not when Rooney was deployed with a partner, and after 60 minutes gone with no sign of a goal, where was the change??? no where to be seen.

The opening 20 minutes seemed almost as if no side wanted to take a chance as both teams set out their respective stall, United: Defend, Chelsea: Long ball to Drogba & Defend, bored shitless at the stifled United side 30 minutes into the game came the 1st shot on goal after Paulo Ferreira threaded a pass to Lampard, who made EVDS dive low & save.

The remaining period of the 1st half was much like before Lampard's effort & both sides left the pitch for half time.

In the second half Joe Cole one of the more lively Chelsea players was replaced by Arjen Robben who looked dangerous until he was removed after Wes Brown smacked him.

Wayne Rooney then reassured everyone that Petr Cech was involved in the match & indeed wasn't a cardboard cut out as Rooney shot at the Chelsea keeper, shortly afterwards Paul Scholes found Ryan Giggs who volleyed over the bar and the Reds looked better.

As United started to gain a little momentum getting out of 1st gear & at a push into 2nd, this was a perfect opportunity to try something different, maybe a Solskjaer or Smith & a 4-4-2 & pressure the weakened Chelsea side who were stifling the Reds creative players even with a central midfielder at centre back, or maybe even a 4 man midfield stretching Chelsea's three man with Giggs & Ronaldo hogging the touchlines??, and maybe what about Evra down the left against a makeshift right back in the form of Paulo Ferreira??.

Not a bloody chance.

United did however almost snatch the tie as Nemanja Vidic who kept Drogba quiet for the game headed from a Giggs' free-kick but like all of the Reds attempts was wide or off target.

As the final whistle was blown and extra time loomed large, SAF finally made use of his substitutions, Alan Smith came on for Fletcher & in the period of extra time both Giggs & Drogba could so easily have scored, Giggs forced an easy save from Cech when he could have done much better after a Rooney cross & Drogba headed into the side netting.

Salomon Kalou who was introduced at the same time as Alan Smith went extremely close after a long run toward United's penalty resulted in the striker missing by inches.

Then came the telling & only piece of class in the entire game, a hammer blow for United fans & a piece of skill which sent the Chelsea fans into heaven, Drogba one-twoed with Frank Lampard in the box before clipping the ball past EVDS for the winner.

After the game Jose said "So if they kill opponents by counter-attack, that is what you have to stop: first of all no counter-attack; secondly, a minimum of six players behind the ball line so when you lose the ball there you have those six players there"

It worked to a tee Jose.

In no way taking anything away from SAF for a bloody marvellous season, but what are your thoughts and opinions on tactics from the greatest manager United have had, can he do more than what he does, is this just my opinion???.

A big up goes to Gatey, Niffy, Mike, Tester, Tinker, Clayton Calvert & Sam.


United Starting Line-up
Player Ratings in parenthesis
van der Sar (6); Brown (6), Ferdinand (7), Vidic (8), Heinze (6); Fletcher (5), Carrick (6), Scholes (8): Ronaldo (5), Giggs (5);  Rooney (6).
Subs Used:  Smith (6) for Fletcher (92 mins), O'Shea (6)  for Carrick (112 mins), Solskjaer (6) for Giggs (112 mins).
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Evra.

United's Man of the Match
Vidic & Paul Scholes, both players were effective at their jobs even though it was made harder.

Keano16's Reaction
A sickener, but would have felt better if we in-fact did try to score.

Moan of the Match
SAF's use of tactics, playing into Chelsea's hands, not trying anything else tactically after it didn't work for 90 minutes.

Was Our Prediction Right?
We said 2-1, Editor 7 v 54 Wrong Predictions.

Milestones
Ryan Giggs's 60th FA Cup appearance of his career.