Chelsea 2 City 0
Report by Kate Thompson
Like I imagine most of the City fans, I hadn’t expected us to get anything from this game – although a chat with some Chelsea fans on the way to match suggested that it might not be as one-sided as might be thought.
A weakened Leicester team went onto the offensive from the off and, but for poor finishing, could well have scored before Chelsea put us in our place. One crucial save from the Chelsea keeper (or Nugent miss, depending on your point of view) in the second half came just before Chelsea’s first goal and, not for the first time, I found myself thinking ‘what if…’
In the third choice red kit (why not the gold and black I wonder) City took the game to their wealthy opponents, who had several million pounds’ worth of players in the team, and even more among the substitutes.
According to the statistics, Chelsea had about two-thirds possession, but I would like to know what the figure was for the first half. City were by far the better side and by the way Chelsea came out after the break, they had had a rollicking from Mourinho! Jeff Schlupp was a revelation and a constant problem to Chelsea; Mahrez was a similar pest, only let down by some poor corners which failed to clear the first man.
What might be termed the second string midfield were impressive. I’ve always liked Andy King and (like others have said) couldn’t understand why certain national papers scored him so low against Everton. Perhaps he had something to prove, having been released by Chelsea as a boy, but both he and Hammond bossed the midfield.
An unfortunate injury to Hammond in the second half, since confirmed by Pearson as a bad case of cramp, rather took the stuffing out of the team but they still battled manfully. Schmeichel didn’t have much to do in the first half but the second was a different matter, as Chelsea threw the proverbial kitchen sink at us. Some of his saves were world-class and in truth he could do very little about the two goals. It was down to him that the score was only 2-0, as City tired and Chelsea piled on the pressure.
Nobody had a poor game, although the two full-backs were caught out occasionally. Morgan and Moore performed heroics in the centre of defence again. The two strikers tried hard but failed to take their chances; I don’t remember Ulloa having a shot on target but Nugent had at least two more, in addition to the wonder save.
Of the substitutes, Albrighton looked bright (must be the name!), as he had in the pre-season matches I saw; Taylor-Fletcher had to play in an unfamiliar role and Wood had very little time to make an impact.
The Leicester fans never stopped cheering their players, even when they were 2-0 down, and at times appeared to drown out the more numerate Chelsea fans. There were two new chants which amused me – ‘Pearson is the special one’ and ‘We support our local team’. Hopefully, they will continue to stick by the team even when things aren’t going well.
As I’ve said many times, if they give 100% nobody can ask more and if they play like they did in the first half against Chelsea, when playing ‘lesser’ teams, they will be OK. In last Saturday’s Times, five of the eight ‘pundits’ forecast City to be relegated (well done James Ducker and George Caulkin, the two northern correspondents, and the one woman, Alyson Rudd, who didn’t!). However all eight forecast that Burnley would go back down but only one gave QPR, so I am quietly amused that QPR are bottom of the table with Burnley just above them, while we are at the lofty heights of 14th!
Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Moore, Konchesky, Mahrez (Albrighton 68), King, Hammond (Taylor-Fletcher 73), Schlupp, Nugent, Ulloa (Wood 84). Subs not used: Hamer, Hopper, Knockaert, Wasilewski
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic, Fabregas, Schurrle (Ramires 64), Oscar (Willian 70), Hazard, Costa (Drogba 80). Subs not used: Cech, Luis, Zouma, Mikel
Attendance: 41,604 Referee: Lee Mason
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation