CL Final Review: Terrible For Terry But United Are Spot On

Graham Lister reflects on a thoroughly engrossing all-English Champions League final that was an emotional roller-coaster for the protagonists and their followers…



Chelsea skipper John Terry had said before the Champions League final that both sides would go into the game on an equal footing; yet with cruel irony it was Terry who lost his footing at the crucial stage of the penalty shoot-out, giving Manchester United a reprieve that, with Edwin Van der Sar’s fine save from Nicolas Anelka, they took full advantage of to win 6-5 on penalties after a hugely entertaining game had ended 1-1 after extra-time.

It was harsh on the lion-hearted Terry that, after the physically punishing season he’s come through, he should be the one who failed to seize the moment when the Cup was tantalisingly within his grasp – particularly as he had earlier kept his side in it with an instinctive clearance from record-breaking Ryan Giggs that the Chelsea man had no right to reach.

It was all part of the drama of a Champions League final that was a credit to the English style of football and the verve of the Premier League. The contest, over 120 minutes of open play and a marathon 14-kick shoot-out, may not have satisfied picky purists obsessed with technical ability; but it lacked for nothing in excitement and passion and was never less than compelling.

The game was dominated by both sides at different phases, and throughout the second half and extra-time, with Chelsea in the ascendancy after United had controlled the first period with pace and panache, the result remained in doubt.

Detractors of the English game and its growing ability to attract the world’s top players may sneer, but it is a significant fact that no English team was knocked out of this season’s Champions League by a foreign side: Arsenal were beaten by Liverpool, who were beaten by Chelsea, who lost the final to Manchester United on a mesmeric night in Moscow. That is a remarkable testimony to the current vigour of the Premier League’s top teams.

Late on a Wednesday night in the Russian capital, this was the North of England versus the South; Lancashire versus London; the revered Godfather of British managers versus the unloved rookie fighting for respect and the chance to carry on doing his job. In terms of ownership it was an American business family viewed with deep suspicion by most United fans versus a Russian oligarch adored by Chelsea’s followers for elevating their club into the big, big time. On the pitch it was the newly-crowned Premier League champions seeking a coveted Double versus gallant runners-up determined to have the most glittering prize to show for their persistence and resilience in pursuit of silverware.

On The Attack From The Off

United started on the front foot, taking the game to Chelsea with a vibrant attacking swagger for the first 35 minutes. They were playing with confidence and creativity, dynamism and drive, and could and should have been three up by the time Chelsea - ragged and lacking rhythm and cohesion - switched on. In that opening spell United were implementing a tactical plan in which every player seemed to understand and feel comfortable with his role.

They had identified a weakness in the Chelsea side at right-back where midfielder Michael Essien was playing out of position. Ronaldo was deployed wide on the left wing to exploit the Ghanaian’s unease, while in the centre of midfield, Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes were orchestrating the game, denying Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard the time and opportunity to impose themselves on proceedings.

And on 26 minutes, Wes Brown’s superb delivery from the right wing was met by the leaping Cristiano Ronaldo who left Michael Essien grounded as he headed the ball emphatically into the net past a statuesque Cech. It was advantage United, and Cech soon had to make a breathtaking double save from first Carlos Tevez and then, from the rebound, Michael Carrick to keep the Blues within touching distance of the rampant Red Devils.

Tevez then just failed to connect with Wayne Rooney’s superb low right wing cross that was crying out for the merest touch. Chelsea were lucky still to be in it at that point, but they made United rue those missed chances, coming back off the ropes on the stroke of half-time with an equaliser against the balance of play. Essien, having been at fault for the goal, threw caution to the wind and went on a marauding run forward, letting fly with a low drive that deflected first off Nemanja Vidic and then Rio Ferdinand into the path of Frank Lampard, who had sprinted forward in anticipation and coolly beat the wrong-footed Edwin van der Sar to put Chelsea back on terms.

United’s top scorer had done the business for the Red Devils, and Chelsea’s leading marksman duly found the net for the Blues with his 20th goal of the season.

Game On

It was midnight in Moscow, but game very much on at the Luzhniki Stadium in he teeming Russian rain as Chelsea suddenly had the bit between their teeth and now had United distinctly ruffled as they set about their task in the second half with so much more power and purpose than they’d mustered in the first when United were calling the shots.

Carrick had been directing the traffic forward for most of the opening 35 minutes but he was now forced to defend with keen anticipation and alertness. On one occasion, from a free-kick won by Didier Drogba, the former West Ham and Spurs Geordie, running towards his own goal, hooked the ball back out of danger with a sterling defensive volley under pressure. As a counter-point, Joe Cole, who had played well defensively in the first half and covered plenty of ground both with and without the ball, was now getting forward more frequently and asking questions of United’s defence.

Shortly after the hour mark Ferdinand surprisingly succumbed to cramp and thereafter was never as commanding; indeed he was lucky at one point to escape censure when he nearly took Joe Cole’s ear off with a dangerously high tackle.

The extent to which the Blues were now calling the tune was underlined when Drogba, the cup final scoring specialist who had been fairly ineffectual for most of the game, suddenly revealed his threat with a cracking shot that beat Van der Sar but crashed against a post. Avram Grant’s side were showing reserves of character after having been outplayed early on, but neither side could conjure a winner.

Extra-Time Can't Split Them

The two coaches fretted in the rain on the touchline, Ferguson making the first decisive move by sending on Ryan Giggs (for the bloodied Scholes) in a little piece of history: the veteran Welshman was making a club record 759th appearance, eclipsing the mark set by the watching Sir Bobby Charlton. But the game moved inexorably into extra-time and Grant replaced Florent Malouda with Salomon Kalou before another pivotal moment when Lampard swivelled in the area to hammer the ball against the bar. On came Nicolas Anelka for Joe Cole as United underlined their still potent attacking threat when Patrice Evra made a strong surge down the left and cut the ball back intelligently from the by-line to Giggs, who picked his spot and watched in disbelief as Terry got his head to it almost on the line to clear the danger at the expense of a corner. It was inspired, gutsy defending from the Chelsea skipper.

Rooney trudged off unhappily to be replaced by Nani, before a final that ultimately had everything briefly erupted in an angry flash-point. A dispute over a throw-in in neutral territory saw Chelsea players, incensed with Tevez, spark a melee in which Drogba crazily flicked a hand into Vidic’s face and duly received a red card. Whether or not that was the Ivorian’s last meaningful act in a Chelsea shirt remains to be seen, but it certainly did the Blues no favours at a critical phase of the contest.

The Pressure Cooker

With a shoot-out looking inevitable, both managers played their last cards with penalties in mind, Juliano Belletti replacing Claude Makelele and Anderson relieving Brown. The dreaded spot-kick lottery duly arrived. How would these players stand up to the pressure in front of 70,000 inside the stadium and a global TV audience of hundreds of thousands, with the world’s most prestigious club trophy now to be won or lost by someone’s error?

With the first four kicks being converted, in order, by Tevez, Ballack, Carrick and Belletti, it fell to Ronaldo of all people to make the first mistake. He stopped mid-run-up before hitting a weak effort that Cech saved well. Advantage Chelsea, and Lampard, emotionally ravaged after a traumatic couple of weeks, stood up to be counted by converting with typical assurance. Owen Hargreaves, Ashley Cole (just) and Nani (just) put their kicks away, and so it fell to John Terry, Chelsea’s heart-beat, to win the Cup for Chelsea for the first time in their history. With club owner Roman Abramovich going through agonies in the stands and scarcely able to watch, Terry’s standing foot slipped as he struck the ball, and it crashed off the outside of the post. For the third time on the night, the goal frame had saved United. The advantage had swung dramatically back to United. Anderson hammered home with relish, Kalou and Giggs both scored and Anelka stepped up to keep the Blues in the contest. His shot to Van der Sar’s right was pushed out by the flying Dutchman, and United were European champions for the third time in their history.

In 1968 they’d won in extra-time; in 1999 in added time; now in 2008 they’d won 6-5 in a penalty shoot-out after 14 spot-kicks. They’d remained undefeated throughout their Champions League campaign. Van der Sar had rescued Ronaldo from being the fall-guy; that dubious honour went to Terry, who was inconsolable. Although technically Anelka’s was the decisive miss, Terry had been in a position to win it for the Blues, and that knowledge will haunt him as he relives the moment his effort struck the woodwork.

A Tale Of Two Managers

As for his manager, he was compassionate and dignified in defeat, as he has been for most of a very difficult season. I heard some Chelsea fans claim on radio on the morning of the match that Avram Grant had been irrelevant to Chelsea’s season, that the players had known what to do and did it despite rather than because of Grant’s management. That epitomized the unjustly negative perception of the Israeli, who may now find himself shunted upstairs. But it begs the question why those players could not do it – reach the Champions League final that is – even with the supposedly magical management of Mourinho? Jose’s supporters will insist the Special One would not have lost the final; it’s academic now, but at least Grant got them there, unlike his more charismatic predecessor, and he deserves credit for that.

His counterpart, Ferguson, continues to amaze. Defying age with a still-boyish enthusiasm and a desire that burns as brightly as ever, the Scot has just won a glorious Double; his trophy haul just gets bigger and bigger and, with his latest young team, the sky seems to be the limit. How United will ever replace him is a key strategic issue to be grasped and planned for by the club in due course. For now, though, he has just made Manchester United kings of Europe again – and rival managers at home and abroad will already be wondering just how they are going to dethrone them.

Graham Lister