Chelsea 2 Wolves 0:THERE IS a hopelessness induced by visits to Chelsea these days. Opponents who arrive in south-west London intent on containment are swept aside, their game plans invariably wrecked early. Others, like Wolves, are more ambitious yet they, too, end up attempting to pluck positives from scoreless defeat. It is a familiar pattern from which the champions have not deviated since March.
Already there is a relentlessness to the club’s pursuit of a second successive league title, their progress serene while those at their backs are preoccupied with their own troubles. Carlo Ancelotti left the arena conceding his side had been “lucky” but there was something utterly routine about this latest victory. Wolves may have impressed throughout, offensively and defensively, but they were repelled even with Chelsea becalmed for long periods and with frustration voiced in the stands from time to time.
The bar has been set high by Ancelotti but even occasional flashes of quality are enough to prevail. The focus is inevitably drawn to the more scintillating spectacle served up, the sight of Nicolas Anelka slipping Yuri Zhirkov into space down the left and Florent Malouda converting the Russian’s pull-back with precision. Or the link-up play that saw passes pinged between Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba and Michael Essien before the first of the Ivorians collected the Ghanaian’s return to slide his shot beneath Marcus Hahnemann. This team can be untouchable.
Yet the division’s most impressive goal difference – plus 23 nine games into the season – owes as much to stingy defence as mouthwatering attack. Chelsea have conceded only twice and have not been breached in the league at Stamford Bridge since John Carew netted for Aston Villa on March 27th. Both Ancelotti and John Terry had to be reminded of the last time this team had conceded at home. The visitors were beaten 7-1 that day, with Chelsea having since gone 781 minutes without a goal against them here.
Wolves came closer than any team to breaking that record, only for a lack of bite and Chelsea’s stubborn refusal to yield to send them home goalless and pointless. The game’s better chances were created by those in old gold, with Matt Jarvis outstanding as a supply line from the flank, but Petr Cech’s handling was faultless and, when required, those across the home side’s back line, aided by the midfield shield, choked the visitors into submission.
Mick McCarthy would appreciate those skills more than most, his admiration obvious afterwards. Cech was “terrific”, Ivanovic “outstanding”. “And we all know about Terry, but centre-backs get better and better,” he said. “They know when to block or hold people under the ball. They get cleverer and cuter. Chelsea’s full-backs are more like wingers and it helps when you’ve got Jon Obi Mikel and Essien sat in front of your back four. They’re so resilient. Jelle van Damme had a really good chance at the back post but (Jose) Bosingwa somehow got his head on it. A lot of full-backs wouldn’t have done that.”
The Portuguese’s first start in over a year was impressive in its own way with his presence offering the champions thrust and pace down the wing, if perhaps denying them the solidity provided by Branislav Ivanovic or even Paulo Ferreira when they have filled in at full-back.
Ancelotti’s complaints centred on Wolves being allowed space and time to conjure crosses from the flanks and central sights of goal from distance because Essien and Mikel were perhaps not as sharp as usual after the midweek trip to Moscow. Even so Chelsea did not concede.
“I’m playing alongside the best left-back in the world, two of the best centre-halves (Ivanovic or Alex) and the best goalkeeper but we’ve always had that doggedness about us,” Terry said. “We rolled teams over at the start of the season but we’re also capable of going to Villa and fighting for a good point or grinding out a result when we’re not at our best like today. We don’t concede and we don’t drop points.”
There is a recognition that an advantage must be established now before the chasing pack, and Manchester United in particular, generate momentum. “What happened with Wayne Rooney will boost United and make it harder for us,” Terry added.
