Chalk and Cheese: Chelsea 2 - PSG 0: Mourinho- The Special One

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Chelsea 2 - PSG 0: Mourinho- The Special One

CL 1/8 final - second leg

Chelsea 2 - PSG 0 ( 3-3 Agg. ) Away goal is a bit*h

The theme Pre-match:

Endeavour, Courage, Belief

Impossibility is nothing...when Chelsea is concerned

Hear The Special One:

"My reasons to believe? The reasons are not important, the belief is important. I believe and my players believe. That is the most important thing."

"We have to enjoy the risk of the situation. At 9.30pm we can be out - and we know that we have this risk - but at 7.45pm we have a chance to be in the semi-final. At 7.45pm we have to have a smile on our face, going, playing, giving everything, and seeing what happens at 9.30pm. At 7.45pm we will believe we can do it."

Mourinho on Sky ITA ( couldn't resist getting one back on Rafa Benitez)

“I tell players to enjoy. Last year they were playing Rubin Kazan in Europa League & were 25 pts behind in PL”

Chelsea Faithfuls had said: ‘tonight, at the Bridge of Stamford, old heroes will roar, new heroes will emerge, and a Special one will restore the pride of an army. A blue, army.’

How prescient!!

Match Highlights

( you can get the minute by minute account for the match here: link)

3' Alex is penalised for excessive masculinity in the vicinty of Hazard, down the Chelsea left. Lampard will curl it into the area between goalkeeper and defenders. Actually it's a poor free-kick, with no elevation, and PSG clear comfortably.

18' It gets worse for Chelsea: Eden Hazard,our one world-class player, is struggling with an injury of some description and has been replaced by Andre Schurrle.

21'—Chelsea enjoyed more of the ball, but didn't look like creating a strong chance on goal.

28 min Lampard's free-kick takes a deflection off the wall and lies towards the near post, where Sirigu changes direction and plunges to his right to tip the ball round the post. That's an extremely good save. He was expecting a deep cross, which is what Lampard went for, before the ball changed direction dramatically off the noggin of someone in the wall.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 PSG (Schurrle 32) How's this for a plot twist? Hazard goes off injured and his replacement Schurrle scores. it was an almost offensively straightforward goal. A long throw from Ivanovic on the right, a flick on by the head of David Luiz, and a calm first-time finish from 12 yards by Schurrle as the ball dropped onto his right foot. He took that really nicely.

( Goal came 3 mins after Drogba's opening goal against Napoli, 2 Seasons ago )

33' Schurrle had a penalty shout overlooked by the Ref ( rightly) after going down in the box after a challenge from Verratti

36 min - Cahill misses a glorious chance to get the second goal. He scuffs his shot from 8 yards out. He got the opportunity fortuitously following a set piece.

The rest of the half wasn't eventful apart from a yellow card for both Lampard & Cavani for different kinds of infringements

Half-time: Chelsea 1-0 PSG

Slow start to the second half, which suited PSG well

52' Chelsea work it across goal on the counter, Willian tees it up and Schurrle smashes it against the bar! What a hit!

From the free-kick Lucas gave away in the aftermath of Schurrle's strike, Oscar smashes the bar again. Remarkable!!

54'—PSG sub: Verratti off, Cabaye on

Ivanovic picked up a booking from one of PSG's occasional forward forays. He'll now miss the first leg of the next match

65'—Chelsea are ramping up the pressure, winning free-kicks and corners aplenty.

Ba on, Lampard off.

72' -PSG sub Lavezzi off, Pastore on. The Paris club keep on holding their good defensive shape

75'—PSG work it forward and Cavani had a half chance which he tries to volley goalward from 20 yards but Ivanovic gets a touch to divert it. Maxwell smashes it first time as it falls but drags it wide.

77'—Huge chance for PSG to equalise and make it more difficult for Chelsea in the tie. Cabaye floats a beautiful ball into Cavani on the run, his first touch is perfect, but his finish goes over the bar!

83' -The Bridge is anxious and PSG is shutting up shop: Lucas off, Marquinhos on. ( Defender for a winger)

85'—Chaos in the box! The ball is in the air and Sirigu messes up his punch. Eto'o's shot is blocked and the referee calls for a foul

Then, Demba Ba happened!!

Ball is lofted in, Torres tussles for the header, it's played in by Azpi ( deflected off Alex) and Ba sweeps home

Bar, bar...Ba in that order

Demba - He scores when he falls -Ba

You can have all the strawberry syrup you want now, Ba

( Apparently, he can't do without his strawberry syrup,)

Demba Ba ( after the match ) "Eden Hazard told to me it was going to be my day."

Mou ran along the touch line to whisper instructions to Torres& Eto'o . It's time to shut shop

93' There was still enough time for Cech to pull off a save, at his near post, from a Marquinhos strike. This followed a PSG corner

( Four minutes had been the added time)

Thoughts:

-Every Chelsea player deserved a 10/10 yesterday ( I'm probably in a very generous mood)

- I hate Cross bars

- Cesar Azpilicueta vs PSG:

3 tackles, 4 interceptions, 6 clearances, 1 aerial duel won. Totally bossed that LB position ( Is there a better full back around now)

- David Luiz was a beast in the middle. One of his best games for Chelsea-

world class David Luiz turned up - 39 passes completed, 6 clearances, 100% headed duel success, 5 tackles & 1 assist

-Andre Schurrle - What a game he had, high energy all over. Great goal, unlucky not to get a second. My MoTM. Hazard's injury was a blessing in disguise!

Oscar was sparkling, Willian had a solid game too (I don't think I've ever seen a player fitter than Willian. He's like the Duracell Bunny )

Both Brazilians grafted well

-Demba Ba's holdup play was immensed. It's one of the baffling things this season that he has not had more games. He's suited to games against those teams who sit at the back