Sunday, May 20, 2012

Chelsea Wins; EPL Epilogue

Watching the game or looking at the statistics, it seems hard to believe Chelsea actually beat Bayern Munich yesterday. Forty-three shots to nine, Chelsea digging in on the defensive end most of the game, Bayern Munich creating opportunity after opportunity, one penalty kick to none and even a two goal to nil lead as David Luiz stepped to the spot after Juan Mata had been denied. But as has been the case through this odd campaign, the Blues just refused to follow the script. Instead four straight successful penalties shots, together with misses by Olic and Schweinsteiger, were enough to stun the crowd and Bayern players and send Chelsea to their first Champions League title -- realizing the dream of many of the senior players and the Russian Plutocrat owner, Roman Abromovitz. Chelsea was down 3-1 to Napoli and stormed back for victory. They were down to Benefica but pulled out a tight victory. They pulled the upset of all upsets by tying Barca 2-2 in their house and then did the same to Bayern in their home stadium. 

How? It seemed merely the will to win and experience, together with an inability of the Bayern stars to finish the job in front of net. It looked as if they had pulled it out anyway, when Muller headed the ball into the ground and past Cech to take the lead in the 83rd minute. But whenever you have Drogba, don't count yourselves our and Chelsea finally came alive, finding the equalizer in the 89th minute. It must have reminded Bayern fans of 1999, when they conceded twice in the last four minutes to lose to Manchester United (the second coming in stoppage time). This time they did hold on for the extra period and seemed poised to retake the lead when Drogba tripped Ribbery in the box. Arjen Robben stepped to the spot, but looked a little nervous (my sports psychology friend even mentioned the look on his face). He then failed to convert on a nice save from Cech and the game was back on. And so to penalties they ultimately went, and the rest, is as they say history. Robben sat on the field stunned, after being comforted by some of his old Chelsea teammates. Schweinsteiger seemed unconsolable. And Drogba was the hero in a cup final yet again, after a reprieve that just might have cost them the dream.

So what should we think of this miracle Chelsea turnaround? It was really a testament to will and fortitude, to old school football and to how a coaching change can make all the difference. AVB must be scratching his head wondering where the hell the team went that barely performed for him at all. But one must at least mention the hundreds of millions of dollars a Russian Plutocrat spent toward this goal, how many of the Chelsea players (including Ashley Cole and John Terry) are really hard to like and how this reaffirms the general sense that irresponsible spending in football really paid off this year. From Man City to Chelsea to PSG (who almost won the title) to Anzi, we have teams that are willing to simply buy themselves titles -- and it continues to work. Yes, this might be a bit of the bitter Gooner in me mentioning this, but how can one not? It led to some exciting football and a changing of the guard, but at what cost to the beautiful game (something no one will charge Di Matteo's team with playing the past two and a half months). But it is quite a turnaround for the Blues, two trophies more than Man United and Arsenal, and another year in the UCL. The victims are not only Bayern (who have lost three in the past 13 years), but Tottenham as well -- who really have only themselves to blame -- after blowing what was a 13 point lead on the Gunners halfway through the second derby. But this probably means the dismantling of a team on the ascendancy and might actually mean Vertonghen coming to the Gunners (I hope). 

As the season ends, it has certainly been a great one. Real Madrid supplanted Barca in the league, but missed out on UCL glory. Barca started off looking like the great team they have been the past four years (and quickly won three trophies), but then had a real drop in form that can only be rescued by one last trophy for Guardiola before he fades into the sunset (at least for a year). Man City supplanted their crosstown rivals for the first time in 44 years and might have set their sites on a dynasty that could last for years. Chelsea had a terrible campaign rescued in the last two months and Liverpool won the Carling but had an awful campaign; leading to the sacking of a legend. Arsenal started terribly, came back, then suffered the New Year blues, went on a run and then almost blew it in the last six games. Juve matched the invincible season of the Gunners in Italy without as much fanfare, and almost still lost the title to AC Milan, and Dortmund and Montpellier won in Germany and France by the smallest of margins. Great games were matched by an endless array of terrible decisions, big spending (that often fizzled on the pitch) seemed to meet a number of clever signings like Ba and Cisse for Newcastle (who just missed out on UCL by a few points here or there) and the drama was palpable from one week to the next. One hopes next season can match the drama of this one ...

A postscript on the Gunners must obviously start with the news that RVP is not ready to sign and looks likely to ask for a move. But the Arsenal management seems like they might force him to play out his contract, which might be a smart move. If we can land M'Villa and a few other quality signings, maybe he will decide to stay, but one hopes Wenger is finally willing to end his stubbornness and actually spend some cash. We actually have it and wouldn't even have to break the new Fair Play regulations to build up a squad with the chance to win silverware next year. As I celebrated along with the Chelsea players (I hate German soccer and was sort of happy to see Totti get screwed) I had to look back so far to the last time it was an Arsenal team up there accepting their medals. One hopes next year will finally bring at least one, but it is certainly contingent on keeping RVP and making more signings. Let's hope the board and Arsene finally realize the only route to get back to the top ...
 

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