Conclusions from the 2011-12 FA Cup Final
~ Before we start with the obvious, careful reading of the game’s law need to be completed. In case you don’t have it to hand... Law 10 states:
Method of Scoring - A goal is scored only when the whole of the ball crosses over the goal line between the posts and underneath the crossbar.
~ Cech’s save was clearly the iconic moment of the 2012 FA Cup final, but after despite the fallout that will inevitably follow from Merseyside, Carroll SHOULD have scored without the need for a number of replays to prove the ball was over the line. He had a chance to net from the rebound but wheeled away celebrating, and he allowed Bosingwa to clear. The look on Ivanovic’s face was telling as he believed the ball was in, and Chelsea were lucky that the Portuguese or one of his colleagues did not kick the ball into the back of the net in their frustrating about the way Liverpool equalised.
Never has the phrase, “Play to the whistle”, been more appropriate.
~ Even with all the replays we’ve seen it’s still impossible to tell if Carroll’s header crossed the line. Players from both teams displayed incredibly partisan views of the incident (as expected) after the game, but the neutral opinion of the assistant should be taken over both of them. Credit should go to Andy Garratt whose first reaction to the situation was correct. No amount of free frame or replay then or since has proved conclusive, meaning the goal could not be awarded.
~ Last one on this point.... When are we going to make our officials’ job easier? Split second decisions are in their role, but for things as essential as goals we should help referees and assistants make these vital decisions. The introduction of a system to help our officials cannot come too soon.
Moving on...
~ Aside from the last half an hour when a large amount of pressure was understandably applied to their goal, Chelsea were the better team. Liverpool may have edged possession (55-45) and dominated in all other statistical area, but they were never going to win the game with Gerrard playing closer to his own box than that of the opposition, and with Suarez, Bellamy and Downing on the periphery of the game.
In patches they threatened but after beating the best team in the world by sitting behind the ball, Chelsea looked confident they could easily defend against a toothless Liverpool side.
~ Neutral viewers who tuned into the game simply to sample the occasion should be grateful that the 2012 final broke a span of three seasons in which only one goal was scored. There were no fireworks, and the game will not go down as a classic, but the last thirty minutes were truly absorbing. An early goal helped settle Chelsea and essentially secured their fate, and they seemed largely unthreatened by their opponents. For the first twenty minutes of the second half after Drogba scored, it appeared that Chelsea would increase their lead before the introduction of Carroll altered the pattern of the game.
~ Ramires is slowly becoming one of Chelsea’s most important players; his cup final opener added to semi-final goals against both Tottenham and Barcelona. Replacing Michael Essien as Chelsea’s midfield engine cog, Ramires’ power and ability to drive the team forward have become vital The Brazilian made a shaky start to his career in England but he displays pace, energy and a goal-scoring quality unlike few other midfielders in the Premiership.
~ Jay Spearing learned the hard way that giving the ball away in a midfield area against top class sides can be extremely costly. His flimsy efforts against Lampard were the catalyst for Chelsea’s first goal. It’s difficult to see Steven Gerrard putting in quite such a weak a challenge in the same position. He wasn’t the only one to blame for the opening goal however as Jose Enrique’s ‘tackle’ was nothing more than a token effort to dispossess Ramires and after the Brazilian struck his shot Reina must look at himself (more on that in a second).
~ Reina will be disappointed that the first strike on goal by a Chelsea player managed to find its way into the back of his net. He gambled that the Brazilian was going to go across the goal but was double bluffed as the ball struck his legs and went into the near post. There’s little doubt that the Spaniard is a top class keeper but with the shot coming from such a narrow angle it’s hard to make excuses.
~ The opening goal was just what the game needed. FA Cup finals are traditionally tight cagey affairs, but the first fifteen and last thirty minutes of the game were anything but. Chelsea scored with the game’s first attack, and were it not for a block from Ivanovic, Liverpool would have immediately fought back through Craig Bellamy. Finals are always an occasion for nerves and insecurities but a goal inside ten minutes opened the game up and gave us an exciting prospect for the next eighty.
~ After the opening goal, there was very little to separate the two teams for the rest of the first half. Neither goalkeeper had a save to make, and it felt like the final ball was just missing from both sides. This somewhat toothless approach has been a sign of the way that either team has played this season. Liverpool have struggled for goals unless Suarez has created something for himself, and Chelsea have been reliant on Mata making something for Drogba. Starting on each side’s bench for today’s game was an expensive striker who hadn’t quite lived up to their huge price tag.
~ Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker is the epitomy of the modern day forward. With so many Premier Leagues sides operating with just one striker, Suarez is overburdened by his team’s over-reliance on him to create and finish. Luis Suarez like Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie and Carlos Tevez amongst the top four clubs are not only the most likely to score a goal, but the most likely to create a goal from nothing.
Domestic struggles for Liverpool have partly come because as a result of the lack of production from Stewart Downing; the player identified and brought in to create chances for Carroll and Suarez. Undoubtedly a great goal-scorer if given the chance, Suarez cut a frustrated figure with three or four blues defenders round about his every touch in the first half.
~ Whether by luck or by design, Chelsea have re-discovered the dogged qualities, which made them difficult to beat under Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese’s mentality was always to defend first, and after scoring, that’s pretty much what Chelsea did for thirty minutes and throughout the duration of the second half following Drogba’s goal.
They were happy for Liverpool to have the ball in front of them as passes went from side-to-side without actually penetrating the defensive unit of the blues. Di Matteo must be given credit for the way that he has helped to sure up a slightly leaky Chelsea defence and made them difficult o beat once more.
~ The man for the big occasion: Didier Drogba. In seven games under the Wembley arch the Ivorian has scored seven goals and four in finals; a new record. We know his conduct on the field is much maligned but there can be little but admiration for his performances in London’s biggest matches. Some players hide from the spotlight, but like a moth in early evening Didier is clearly attracted towards it.
~ There’s clearly something Drogba enjoys about playing against Liverpool. He has five goals in semis against Liverpool and two in finals.
~ Much maligned for the whole season Andy Carroll at least provided a spark for Liverpool in the second half. He played something close to his inflated £35m value, and was nuisance a £35m for Terry and Ivanovic who had been relatively untroubled all game. Occupying Chelsea’s central defenders with two forwards allowed Gerrard some space to operate in and it was this combination which provided Liverpool with thirty minutes of solid pressure.
~ Liverpool’s other expensive signings, Downing and Henderson, must be looking forward to the end of their most difficult seasons’ as professionals. Whilst they have enjoyed Carling Cup success, Liverpool’s domestic campaign has been a complete waste and a regression under Kenny Dalglish from where then ended last season. This evening’s final served as a reminder about the gap between themselves and the top four teams in the country.
~ Roberto Di Matteo is doing everything in his power to provide the ultimate job interview. He added a statement victory over Barcelona to his CV a couple of weeks ago, has guided Chelsea to within a victory of fourth place and now won the FA Cup. If the blues win the Champions League in a fortnight it will take a manager of incredible magnitude becoming available to deny the Italian Chelsea’s top job.
~ Some teams just love the FA Cup; Chelsea are clearly amongst them. Chelsea are now level with Tottenham Hotspur for number of competition victories (eight) and have appeared in twelve FA Cup finals in total. They’ve also featured in four of the last six finals and won them all.
Method of Scoring - A goal is scored only when the whole of the ball crosses over the goal line between the posts and underneath the crossbar.
~ Cech’s save was clearly the iconic moment of the 2012 FA Cup final, but after despite the fallout that will inevitably follow from Merseyside, Carroll SHOULD have scored without the need for a number of replays to prove the ball was over the line. He had a chance to net from the rebound but wheeled away celebrating, and he allowed Bosingwa to clear. The look on Ivanovic’s face was telling as he believed the ball was in, and Chelsea were lucky that the Portuguese or one of his colleagues did not kick the ball into the back of the net in their frustrating about the way Liverpool equalised.
Never has the phrase, “Play to the whistle”, been more appropriate.
~ Even with all the replays we’ve seen it’s still impossible to tell if Carroll’s header crossed the line. Players from both teams displayed incredibly partisan views of the incident (as expected) after the game, but the neutral opinion of the assistant should be taken over both of them. Credit should go to Andy Garratt whose first reaction to the situation was correct. No amount of free frame or replay then or since has proved conclusive, meaning the goal could not be awarded.
~ Last one on this point.... When are we going to make our officials’ job easier? Split second decisions are in their role, but for things as essential as goals we should help referees and assistants make these vital decisions. The introduction of a system to help our officials cannot come too soon.
Moving on...
~ Aside from the last half an hour when a large amount of pressure was understandably applied to their goal, Chelsea were the better team. Liverpool may have edged possession (55-45) and dominated in all other statistical area, but they were never going to win the game with Gerrard playing closer to his own box than that of the opposition, and with Suarez, Bellamy and Downing on the periphery of the game.
In patches they threatened but after beating the best team in the world by sitting behind the ball, Chelsea looked confident they could easily defend against a toothless Liverpool side.
~ Neutral viewers who tuned into the game simply to sample the occasion should be grateful that the 2012 final broke a span of three seasons in which only one goal was scored. There were no fireworks, and the game will not go down as a classic, but the last thirty minutes were truly absorbing. An early goal helped settle Chelsea and essentially secured their fate, and they seemed largely unthreatened by their opponents. For the first twenty minutes of the second half after Drogba scored, it appeared that Chelsea would increase their lead before the introduction of Carroll altered the pattern of the game.
~ Ramires is slowly becoming one of Chelsea’s most important players; his cup final opener added to semi-final goals against both Tottenham and Barcelona. Replacing Michael Essien as Chelsea’s midfield engine cog, Ramires’ power and ability to drive the team forward have become vital The Brazilian made a shaky start to his career in England but he displays pace, energy and a goal-scoring quality unlike few other midfielders in the Premiership.
~ Jay Spearing learned the hard way that giving the ball away in a midfield area against top class sides can be extremely costly. His flimsy efforts against Lampard were the catalyst for Chelsea’s first goal. It’s difficult to see Steven Gerrard putting in quite such a weak a challenge in the same position. He wasn’t the only one to blame for the opening goal however as Jose Enrique’s ‘tackle’ was nothing more than a token effort to dispossess Ramires and after the Brazilian struck his shot Reina must look at himself (more on that in a second).
~ Reina will be disappointed that the first strike on goal by a Chelsea player managed to find its way into the back of his net. He gambled that the Brazilian was going to go across the goal but was double bluffed as the ball struck his legs and went into the near post. There’s little doubt that the Spaniard is a top class keeper but with the shot coming from such a narrow angle it’s hard to make excuses.
~ The opening goal was just what the game needed. FA Cup finals are traditionally tight cagey affairs, but the first fifteen and last thirty minutes of the game were anything but. Chelsea scored with the game’s first attack, and were it not for a block from Ivanovic, Liverpool would have immediately fought back through Craig Bellamy. Finals are always an occasion for nerves and insecurities but a goal inside ten minutes opened the game up and gave us an exciting prospect for the next eighty.
~ After the opening goal, there was very little to separate the two teams for the rest of the first half. Neither goalkeeper had a save to make, and it felt like the final ball was just missing from both sides. This somewhat toothless approach has been a sign of the way that either team has played this season. Liverpool have struggled for goals unless Suarez has created something for himself, and Chelsea have been reliant on Mata making something for Drogba. Starting on each side’s bench for today’s game was an expensive striker who hadn’t quite lived up to their huge price tag.
~ Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker is the epitomy of the modern day forward. With so many Premier Leagues sides operating with just one striker, Suarez is overburdened by his team’s over-reliance on him to create and finish. Luis Suarez like Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie and Carlos Tevez amongst the top four clubs are not only the most likely to score a goal, but the most likely to create a goal from nothing.
Domestic struggles for Liverpool have partly come because as a result of the lack of production from Stewart Downing; the player identified and brought in to create chances for Carroll and Suarez. Undoubtedly a great goal-scorer if given the chance, Suarez cut a frustrated figure with three or four blues defenders round about his every touch in the first half.
~ Whether by luck or by design, Chelsea have re-discovered the dogged qualities, which made them difficult to beat under Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese’s mentality was always to defend first, and after scoring, that’s pretty much what Chelsea did for thirty minutes and throughout the duration of the second half following Drogba’s goal.
They were happy for Liverpool to have the ball in front of them as passes went from side-to-side without actually penetrating the defensive unit of the blues. Di Matteo must be given credit for the way that he has helped to sure up a slightly leaky Chelsea defence and made them difficult o beat once more.
~ The man for the big occasion: Didier Drogba. In seven games under the Wembley arch the Ivorian has scored seven goals and four in finals; a new record. We know his conduct on the field is much maligned but there can be little but admiration for his performances in London’s biggest matches. Some players hide from the spotlight, but like a moth in early evening Didier is clearly attracted towards it.
~ There’s clearly something Drogba enjoys about playing against Liverpool. He has five goals in semis against Liverpool and two in finals.
~ Much maligned for the whole season Andy Carroll at least provided a spark for Liverpool in the second half. He played something close to his inflated £35m value, and was nuisance a £35m for Terry and Ivanovic who had been relatively untroubled all game. Occupying Chelsea’s central defenders with two forwards allowed Gerrard some space to operate in and it was this combination which provided Liverpool with thirty minutes of solid pressure.
~ Liverpool’s other expensive signings, Downing and Henderson, must be looking forward to the end of their most difficult seasons’ as professionals. Whilst they have enjoyed Carling Cup success, Liverpool’s domestic campaign has been a complete waste and a regression under Kenny Dalglish from where then ended last season. This evening’s final served as a reminder about the gap between themselves and the top four teams in the country.
~ Roberto Di Matteo is doing everything in his power to provide the ultimate job interview. He added a statement victory over Barcelona to his CV a couple of weeks ago, has guided Chelsea to within a victory of fourth place and now won the FA Cup. If the blues win the Champions League in a fortnight it will take a manager of incredible magnitude becoming available to deny the Italian Chelsea’s top job.
~ Some teams just love the FA Cup; Chelsea are clearly amongst them. Chelsea are now level with Tottenham Hotspur for number of competition victories (eight) and have appeared in twelve FA Cup finals in total. They’ve also featured in four of the last six finals and won them all.