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MOTD: Chelsea 1-1 Manchester City

By on January 31, 2015

In such a finely balanced match, it was hard to separate either side – as the scoreline showed – and in truth, the same applies to the title race. This wasn’t the “title decider” it was billed to be, with the draw leaving the race nearly as complicated as it was coming into the match.  Nor, however, was it what Frank Lampard suggested after the match: “It doesn’t change anything – that’s what draws are.”

In terms of the table, yes, but in such a tight race it could just be the psychological advantage that gives Chelsea the edge.  Chelsea remains five points ahead at the top of the table, leaving a race to the finish between the two clubs. This was City’s last chance to close that gap face-to-face.  Truly, this is when Mourinho’s siege “us against the world” mentality is likely to take shape.

Mourinho clearly is already preparing. He refused to speak with the press before or after the match, not even simply showing up to avoid a fine. Though in contrast, Chelsea’s playing style wasn’t as black or white. The Blues did set up with a defensive mindset, yet at times also held the ball well.

Chelsea dominated the opening ten minutes, bar an early shot from Jesus Navas that Thibaut Courtois parried, though it was a sign of things to come that nothing came of their early dominance before they ultimately shifted to sitting back and parking the bus. City then came close as Fernandinho’s deflected effort zipped not-too-far wide of the post, and generally, Manuel Pellegrini’s men were more creative up front and exploited the limited spaces in and around Chelsea’s back line well. Particularly, Jesus Navas was very effective down the right wing, often getting behind Branislav Ivanovic as the Serbian defender pushed forward.

Which side was more effective is debatable. City were certainly ahead in terms of chances – twenty-three minutes in Aguero forced Courtois’ to parry his stinging effort after Miler had disposed Ivanovic, before Aguero latched onto a long ball on the counter and just dragged a low effort wide from fifteen yards (credit due to Kurt Zouma, who pushed him wide to an acute sight of goal) – but Chelsea was the first to break the deadlock. As Mourinho’s men came out of their shell as the half wore on, Ivanovic clipped a lovely ball in behind City’s defense to Eden Hazard, who cut it back first-time to the awaiting Loic Remy at the far post.

Alternatively, just three minutes later and right on the brink of the half Navas’ cross from the right tempted Courtois out into no-mans-land and David Silva managed to tap home Aguero’s low volley from the edge of the box as a result.

Yet otherwise, especially in the second half, the game became rather tedious and tactically-oriented as Chelsea set back and absorbed pressure. Fernandinho smacked a fifteen yard header into the ground from Navas’ cross, giving Courtois some trouble in tipping the looping bounce over, ten minutes into the second period and soon after Milner had a clear sight of goal on the end of Silva’s flicked reverse ball down the left of Chelsea’s penalty area, only for the Englishman to drag his low effort wide. In the end, Chelsea sat back and looked perfectly content with the draw. Even Frank Lampard’s return to Stamford Bridge as a late substitute against his old club could not draw Chelsea into stretching play, yet it may be exactly these careful and calculated tactics that lead Chelsea to the title.
Man of the Match: Sergio Aguero

Photo credit: soccer.ru and Wikipedia Commons

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.