Chelsea FC Draw Against Manchester United

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So the question that had been on everyone’s lips all week had been answered. No Diego Costa for Chelsea. In fact, not only Costa and Remy missing, but any backup striker should the only other recognised forward in the team, Drogba, need replacing.

I’d said here that I didn’t think Costa would start and that Jose Mourinho would opt to go for Drogba as the starting forward. Right on the first part then, but to go into such a match without a backup striker? What was wrong with Dominic Solanke?

If there was any good news for Chelsea, it was the fact that United also had their own injury concerns with both Phil Jones and Radamel Falcao out, also injured. So two sides missing key players. Strategy was going to be key here, and United would have to find a formation that allowed them to attack, but also contain a rampant Chelsea.

Much would depend on how both sides set up and how each team would handle Eden Hazard for Chelsea and Angel di Maria for Manchester United. With Di Maria playing most of football so far for United on the left wing, a double team of Branislav Ivanovic and Willian for the Blues looked likely, but credit to Louis van Gaal, Di Maria started on the right with Adnan Januzaj looking to push high up and stop Ivanovic from imposing himself forward for Chelsea.

So 4-3-3 for United, with Mata outside left, Blind in the pivot and Fellaini who had played so well at West Bromwich Albion, being rewarded with a starting role and Robin van Persie leading the line.

Fellaini has been roundly criticised since arriving at Old Trafford and to be fair, in most cases rightly so, but whatever they’re feeding him on these days at Carrington, seems to be doing the trick. His sheer physical prowess makes such a difference for a United team that have in the past been so easily brushed off the ball. In defence, or as the furthest forward attacking player, Fellaini is helping making a real turnaround.

Nemanja Matic and Marouanne Fellaini to match up in the middle of the park then, with Chelsea’s Filipe Luis tracking Angel di Maria and United’s Daley Blind tight on Cesc Fabregas. Both sides cancelling out the other to begin with. Similarly, both sides pressing high and trying not to give defenders any time on the ball.

But if you’re going to press high, you need your defenders to push too, otherwise you just leave too much space in the middle of the park. If there is one thing that has been a problem for Chelsea this season, it’s leaving too much space. Yet that was a problem Andre Villas Boas had in his time at Stamford Bridge. John Terry and Gary Cahill, good though they are, aren’t quick enough if the opposition simply start lobbing balls over the top.

That said, Manchester United were playing a similar set up, though that’s more likely to offer a little more insurance given the problems they’ve had so far this season.

This was a massive match for United. They’ve been rubbish for far too long and if ever there was a match that was perfectly set up for the Reds to start turning it around, this was going to be it. Louis van Gaal was not going to let Jose Mourinho get another one over him, following the 2010 Champions League final.

Yet Chelsea went to Old Trafford to win and what chances did come, went to the Blues. At least for the first twenty minutes until Van Persie finally managed to find a gap in the Chelsea defence to go one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois. No way through this time for the United captain.

End-to-end stuff, which if Chelsea are going to win the league this year, they have to tighten up.

Corner for the Blues. Chris Smalling wraps his arm around Branislav Ivanovic’s neck and hauls him to the ground. Penalty!

No. Not according to referee Phil Dowd.

United break with Van Persie and Matic wipes out the United skipper. Again Chelsea break with Oscar clean through, pulls it back for Drogba, shoots…

Straight at David de Gea and the move again comes to nothing.

Very much the story of the first half. Both sides threatening, but just not able to find an end result.

United looked good. They finally looked organised, as though the penny had finally dropped and each and every one at last understood what Louis van Gaal was trying to get them to do.

With no Costa for Cesc to play through balls between the channels, Chelsea were looking for Drogba to hold the ball up for midfielders to run through, but that’s not how they’ve been winning games this season. Chelsea had to tighten up and try to get behind United.

Finally with the second half started Chelsea looked like they’re coming alive. Cesc was fast and active, pushing forward, feeding Drogba. Great save again from De Gea forcing a corner.

Cesc to take, Drogba front post, loses his marker…GOOOOAAALLLL

At last, and who else would it be, but Didier Drogba. Poor marking from United that has been a major problem for them from set pieces. But one goal wouldn’t be enough against this United team. Chelsea needed to reorganise, stay tight and look for another.

Chelsea are now sitting deeper. Inviting United on, looking to break. But Old Trafford is a big pitch and when you have all your players back, trying to break just doesn’t work.

United are pushing, not giving up, but the Blues look as though they are imposing them selves on the game. Good possession. A shot from Willian that’s not far off and then a yellow card for Ivanovich for pulling down Angel di Maria.

Time for some changes, Mikel for Oscar who has run his legs off today and young James Wilson for Juan Mata.

I don’t know what Mourinho sees in Mikel. He rarely passes the ball forward and rarely makes a clean tackle. It just results in more pressure to try and soak up.

United are pushing hard now, but Chelsea still managing to keep all the action out of the box. More pressure, di Maria crosses from the left, scramble in the box and Van Persie shoots straight at Courtois from 2 yards. Saved.

It’s ‘bitty’ now. Neither team is making anything tell, both losing possession too easily.

87th minute and Eden Hazard picks up a yellow card. Time for a rest anyway as Andre Schurrle comes on to replace the hard working Belgian.

90th minute and referee Phil Dowd says 4 minutes of injury time to be added on. Mourinho signals for Willian to take a bow as youngster Kurt Zouma replaces him. There’s only a minute and a half left Jose. Is this really a good time?

93rd minute, Angel di Maria versus Ivanovic near the Chelsea corner flag. Ivanovic lunges, Di Maria crumples to the ground. Phil Dowd thinks about it, then reaches for his yellow, followed by red. Ivanovic sent off.

Free kick for United and, as they’d been threatening to do all game, Robin van Persie smacks the ball past Thibaut Courtois for 1-1.

Cruel, but it had been coming.

Should Costa have played? Why not give Solanke a chance? Why not trust Nathan Ake over Mikel?

Look, Jose Mourinho is probably the best tactician in modern football. You can’t argue with that. But sometimes, he has to prove a point and sometimes it doesn’t work. United were good today. At some point they had to be. LvG is a top manager and money does count. Chelsea stay unbeaten and United go to Manchester City next.

It may not have been a bad time to play United. City will find they’ve got a hard match.

Oh well, Rangers up next. Must be able to beat them. Can’t we?

Teams:

United: De Gea, Smalling, Shaw, Rojo, Raphael, Blind, Fellaini, Di Maria, Van Persie, Januzaj, Mata :: Lindegard, Blacket,, Pereira, Fletcher, Herrera, Wilson

Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Luis, Cesc, Matic, Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Drogba :: Cech, Schurrle, Baker, Salah, Mikel, Zouma, Ake