English Premier League - Game 19 - Chelsea FC (Home)
Chelsea have been as disappointingly inconsistent as the other supposed title challengers, and are right in the thick of what appears to be a fight for second place. However, I have a really poor record against them - a solitary win and two draws from nine encounters, and they’ve been in good form of late. Hopefully we can maintain our perfect home record and make it two wins here. Ward-Prowse has been shifted out to the wing due to the absence of three of my specialists.
A lovely sequence of one touch passing from Clasie, Gitschier and Jacobsen saw the latter pick out Vietto, but Courtois made a superb save to turn his 5th minute shot wide.
Just two minutes later Vietto picked out Jacobsen, who smoothly breezed past Mario Fernandes, but once again Courtois came up trumps with another sensational save. **** it!
Laporte’s header from the corner fizzed just over the bar.
In the 42nd minute Jacobsen lofted a ball through for Vietto, which he took past Nkoulou, and cut inside of Stones, but sent it agonisingly wide of the far post. Courtois was motionless.
Finally, in the 44th minute, we had our reward! Ward-Prowse’s corner was headed back across goal by Süle, and Laporte rifled it in with a lovely half-volley!
And in the 56th minute we were two goals to the good, as Wanyama saw space open up in front of him, and he passed forwards to Vietto, who slotted into the bottom corner! Great stuff, but Chelsea have overturned a 2-0 deficit against us before.
In the 68th minute Tadic replaced Wanyama. He went to the left wing, Jacobsen to the right and Ward-Prowse to midfield.
In the 80th minute we sealed the deal, as Jacobsen surged down the right and whipped in a cross. It was headed away by Fernandes, but Tadic headed it straight back in, and Gitschier brought it down on his chest, turned, and fired past Courtois!
Gitschier was replaced two minutes later by Sindelar, who moved Vietto to the left wing and Tadic behind the striker.
Balic replaced Ward-Prowse a minute later.
Courtois denied Jacobsen at his near post after another darting run from the youngster in the 90th minute.
Well I was genuinely uncertain before that match, but the only person Chelsea succeeded in worrying all match was the referee as they kept picking up yellow cards. On the other hand, we were superb, as we comprehensively dismantled them time and again, outshooting them 24-6 and holding 62% of possession, and only the brilliant Courtois prevented us making it embarrassing. 3-0 is very convincing though, and at the halfway point we remain unbeaten. A trip to Anfield in just two days is our biggest threat to that record - particularly after they thrashed West Brom today - followed by the return fixture at Stamford Bridge later in the season. At the start of the season I wanted my young team to finish in the top 3. Now I want them to become the Invincibles, and on the strength of that performance, we’ll be **** hard to stop.
POM: Calum Chambers (8.9, 0G, 0A)