It is not just me standing up for the 'wingers union'. It is the fact that quite clearly the game that is going to win Chelsea the title is the one at Anfield.PAT NEVIN: WIDE OPENINGS
Posted on: Tue 27 Apr 2010
A former winger himself, Pat Nevin has spotted where Chelsea have been doing the damage, and just where we can hurt Liverpool this weekend...
Sometimes even the best plans by the wisest men backfire badly. Sir Alex Ferguson's attempts to pile the pressure on the Chelsea players for the game against Stoke City appeared to have anything but the effect he aimed for. In fact the suggestions the United manager made about Chelsea getting edgy for a tough match obviously focused minds rather than befuddled them.
In the bigger picture however that was only a shot across the bows from the Scotsman. I have worked under Sir Alex in the brief time he was Scotland manager and can promise you that this week it will be all guns blazing from him before the Liverpool match. He will be trying to have an effect on not only our players but the Liverpool players as well, so be prepared for a media and psychological onslaught!
Now this isn't a complaint, after all we all knew that Jose Mourinho wasn't averse to a bit of psychology himself when he was our manager and even Carlo Ancelotti's deflection last week when he said he would watch a movie instead of the United v Spurs game was perfectly judged to relax his own players' minds. That is the way it is, the gloves are off and you have to deal with all the hits wherever they are coming from. So no complaints about Manchester United's manager, like I have said before on this page, if Chelsea do not win the title this season, the players will blame no one but themselves.
The game on Sunday was quite an experience considering how tough Stoke usually are on their travels. I am not sure if it was luck or design that Chelsea were sent out in such an attacking formation, I mean had Mikel been available he probably would have played and that immediately makes the midfield just that little bit more defensive. As it was the free flowing irresistible Chelsea were back on show just as they had been against Sunderland and Aston Villa earlier in the season at the Bridge.
There were a multitude of positives to look at in the game but one thing struck me more than anything else and it was obvious from the moment the first goal was scored. Chelsea used every inch of width available to them in this game. If ever a team want you to thump it long towards the centre of their defence it is Stoke, they relish this kind of battle. Even Didier Drogba would find it tough against the power of Tony Pulis's men when you play them at their own game. Pull them wide by switching the ball quickly however and it is a different story.
The ball sprayed from the left across the pitch to Drogba, whose first touch was so sublime Gianfranco Zola would have been proud of it, completely wrong-footed the visitors' defence.
They were so stretched that they didn't have time to get back into shape before Didier's second touch had smashed it across the goal and Salomon Kalou had nodded it in.
Of the seven goals scored five of them could be directly attributed to stretching the opposition defence with wide passes made at pace and delivered with accuracy. There have been times when it has been the team's Achilles heel that the width has not been used. Specifically against Inter at home it was all too narrow, and dare I say it, predictable. I accept Inter might be a slightly better side, with better defenders than Stoke and their coach isn't bad tactically but even very good defences are troubled when you stretch them.
There is a point to all this, honestly, and it is not just me standing up for the 'wingers union'. It is the fact that quite clearly the game that is going to win Chelsea the title is the one coming up at Anfield. Hopefully the Reds will be tired after some exertions on Thursday night in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final. Personally I am hoping for extra-time, penalties and a rough game with plenty of heavy tackles.
Even if all the Liverpool players do come through it unscathed, the already injured Torres will obviously not play; there are weak points in the Liverpool team. Up front they are not as potent without their Spanish striker, but it is in the full-back areas where they can be got at.
We know plenty about Glen Johnson of course, he is great at going forward and do you know what, he isn't that bad a defender either contrary to common consent. It is just that his forward play often leaves him out of position to do that defending. This is one of the reasons why Liverpool often play with an ultra defensive double sitting midfielder system.
On the other side at left back, Insua is for me a good way short of the standard that Liverpool usually have in their team. It may sound harsh but there are plenty of Liverpool fans who would privately agree with that statement. In fact Benitez may be tempted into using someone like Agger in there instead, but he is a converted centre-back. In short they have a problem defending from wide and Chelsea for me are at their best when they use the width as much as possible.
Like everyone who wants Chelsea to win the league I am taking nothing for granted, the White Hart lane debacle taught us that. In simple terms, if Chelsea play well and Liverpool play well, Chelsea will win because we have the better players and right here I am willing to be gracious and accept a 1-0 scoreline eschewing the need for another seven-goal hammering. Three this season is just spoiling us anyway.
