It had been difficult to find anything that was not stacked against Queens Park Rangers in this derby or their crusade to avoid a return to the Championship. A couple of statistics stood out. They had not won at Stamford Bridge since 1983. And only one club that has entered New Year's Day at the foot of the Premier League table has avoided relegation.
The obstacles merely added gloss to a performance and result that will live long in the memories of every QPR fan that witnessed it, particularly if it can serve as the catalyst for a feat of grand escapology.
Harry Redknapp's team rode their luck at times, particularly during a Chelsea purple patch early in the second half. The visitors were indebted to the rugged quality of their defending and to the goalkeeper Júlio César, who made decisive interventions. The unromantic reading of the evening had Chelsea being robbed. They had the chances to win it and their players departed in a daze.
But QPR had no time for that and instead, they could revel in a fairytale winner from the former Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who had come on as an early substitute. After Oscar had only half-cleared a corner and Adel Taarabt rolled the ball invitingly for Wright-Phillips, he hit a first-time right-footed drive of such beauty, timing and power from outside the area that it would have been an insult had it not swelled the far corner.
It was the classic game of two halves. The first one was dire; the second was absorbing and, ultimately, glorious for QPR. They will now sense what might have appeared beyond them.
QPR did not need to see their in-form opponents catch an early break and when they did, it had felt slightly ominous. Marko Marin's lunge on Stéphane Mbia in the third minute was high, late and the sort of challenge that brings gasps and winces with each replay.
The German winger was probably overtaken by exuberance and the desire to impress on his full Premier League debut but, after he had overrun the ball, his impact just below Mbia's knee made it something of a surprise that the referee Lee Mason reached only for his yellow card. Mason was the official that sent off QPR's Shaun Derry at Manchester United last season for the non-foul on Ashley Young. QPR's retribution came from Derry on 37 minutes. It was not quite a clothes line but the outstretched arm that collared Marin merited a booking, which did not come.
Redknapp had loaded his midfield and asked Taarabt to work his magic as a false nine. He lost Junior Hoilett to injury just before the Roberto Di Matteo minute, when the Stamford Bridge crowd salutes their former manager, who wore No16 as a player, and the visitors put everything into their efforts to press and contain. Their opening was a far cry from the dismal showing at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
It was cagey and ugly in the first half. After Marin's tackle, there was further alarm when David Luiz thudded into his team-mate Oscar in an aerial collision. Like Mbia, Oscar somehow regained his feet as though nothing had happened. Mason was also central when Ryan Bertrand felt that he had been clipped by Jamie Mackie as he burst into the area. The full-back was outside the box. Mason was unmoved.
The entertainment value was low but QPR did not care, as they scrapped for the result that could bring hope. Several players departed for the interval bearing the scars of a derby battle. Redknapp's team looked to punch on the counter and Wright-Phillips took one pass from Esteban Granero and sent a shot wide.
Otherwise, the pattern was established. Chelsea hogged the territorial advantage but, when the half-time whistle went, they had failed to prise QPR apart. David Luiz volleyed into the ground and over the crossbar from a Victor Moses deflected cross, Fernando Torres's touch deserted him when he was well placed following a corner and Oscar twice had sightings. His first shot ricocheted wide off Clint Hill; the second deflected off Frank Lampard and forced César into a reaction save with his feet. Moses lifted the follow-up over the crossbar. None of the chances, though, could be described as clearcut. The pickings were slim.
The second-half, though, brought a radical change in the drama. There was more purpose about Chelsea, more penetration, with Bertrand marauding and Marin and Oscar showing quicksilver quality. Marin tricked past Derry and his low cross was just too far in front of Moses while Marin and Oscar combined for Lampard to see a shot deflected wide. Branislav Ivanovic also kissed the top of the crossbar with a firm header. Chelsea were getting close.
The moment when they thought they had cracked it came when David Luiz's rocket hit Wright-Phillips to fall for Torres. Eight yards out and confronted by César, Torres hammered goalwards but straight at the goalkeeper, who blocked unflinchingly. Lampard also had an effort that found the far corner ruled out for a very marginal offside call.
But QPR had their moments, not least when Taarabt's beautiful through ball released Mackie, who was denied by Gary Cahill's saving tackle. Earlier, following a smart break from Wright-Phillips and Taarabt, Granero's curling shot forced Ross Turnbull to save.
Wright-Phillips, though, sparked delirium with his goal and when Ivanovic's flicked header drifted inches wide, QPR knew that it would be their night at Stamford Bridge.
Read more... http://www.chelseamashup.com
No comments:
Post a Comment