CHELSEA v NEWCASTLE UNITED, 1-0 Wed 13 Dec
2006
Top scorer Didier Drogba climbed off the substitutes' bench to fire
the matchwinner and cut Manchester United's lead to five points at
the top of the Barclays Premiership.
Drogba, left out of coach Jose Mourinhos starting line-up in a bid
to rest a niggling hamstring injury, was forced into action at the
interval after Chelsea had failed to break down Newcastles
injury-hit side.
The move paid off for the champions in the 74th minute when Drogba
pounced for his 15th goal of the season, and his ninth in the
league, to take their unbeaten home sequence to 53 games.
It was an unfamiliar Chelsea line-up that had been given the task
of overcoming a Newcastle side missing 12 first-team players
through injury.
Andriy Shevchenko, Drogba and Claude Makelele were all forced to
sit in the dugout behind coach Mourinho while Shaun
Wright-Phillips, Salomon Kalou and Arjen Robben were charged with
the task of taking the game to the Geordies.
Mourinhos decision appeared to be vindicated when Wright-Phillips
just failed to convert a flick-on from Kalou inside the first three
minutes.
Two minutes later a mazy run from Ivorian forward Kalou provided
Frank Lampard with a shooting opportunity on the edge of the
penalty area but the England midfielder failed to hit the
target.
Mourinhos decision to switch from the midfield diamond to a 4-3-3
formation was clearly causing United some early
consternation.
That was underlined yet further in the 11th minute when a smart
move involving Michael Essien and Robben gave Kalou a clear shot on
goal from 10 yards, but again the accuracy was found wanting.
But it was Newcastle who came closest to breaking the deadlock in
the 16th minute when Antoine Sibierski hit the crossbar with a
header from six yards after James Milners corner had eluded the
home defence.
The offside flag spared the blushes of the young Kalou on the
half-hour when he got on the end of Robbens headed knock-down only
to turn and fire over the crossbar from six yards.
But United were still a danger and Giuseppe Rossi emphasised the
fact in the 34th minute when he sent a 25-yard drive flashing wide
of Hilarios right-hand upright.
The on-loan Manchester United striker had been relatively quiet by
his own standards but his opportunist effort was a warning to
Chelsea that he had the necessary firepower to do his parent club a
massive favour.
Chelsea were finding Newcastles stubborn resistance somewhat
frustrating and Mourinho spent much of the half berating his troops
from the touchline.
The 4-3-3 formation, which had promised much success earlier in the
contest, was clearly hampering the champions.
Newcastles rookie side, which included a debutant right-back in
Paul Huntington, coped adequately enough with the receding threat
from Chelseas front three.
Magpies boss Glenn Roeder was already without a dozen first-team
players through injury when his squad was depleted yet further
minutes before the break.
Charles NZogbia had to be stretchered off after a collision with
Lampard and was replaced by another youngster in Matty
Pattison.
Mourinho was obviously unimpressed with the contribution of
Wright-Phillips as he was replaced at the start of the second half
by Drogba, while injured centre-back Ricardo Carvalho gave way to
Makelele.
It took Drogba just two minutes to make his presence felt when he
headed Robbens left-wing cross just wide of Shay Givens left-hand
upright.
On the hour Robben almost broke the deadlock with a cheeky
free-kick after Celestine Babayaro had felled Kalou on the right
flank.
With the Newcastle defence expecting a cross into the centre, the
Dutch winger curled the ball towards the near post and Given had to
act quickly to keep it out.
Chelsea were now powering forward at every opportunity but the
Newcastle rearguard refused to buckle under the onslaught. Their
cause was helped by wayward shooting from Chelseas Michael
Ballack, whose 20-yard effort sailed high over the crossbar in the
63rd minute.
Chelsea almost paid for the wastefulness moments later when Essien
skied a clearance towards his own goal and Hilario failed to
collect it under pressure from Obafemi Martins. Thankfully for the
home side, skipper John Terry was on hand to tidy up before Essien
completed the clearance.
But Chelsea finally broke the deadlock with an incisive move
started by Robben. His pass into the penalty area was helped on by
Shevchenko and Drogba pounced to provide the decisive finish.
