In a match in whom the two teams played it too safe until the very end, the title contenders canceled each other out in a very scrappy affair.
Substitute Andre Schurrle put the Blues ahead after coming on for the Brazilian Ramires in the latter stages of the 2nd half and then a few minutes before regulation time, former Chelsea player, Frank Lampard equalized for the home side to eventually end the match at 1-1.
Here are 5 things we learnt from the crunchy tie at the Etihad:
1. JOSE MOURINHO’S GAME PLAN WAS TO CONTAIN
The Chelsea Boss seemed to have told his boys to play it safe from the off. As attacking players like Fabregas, Willian and Hazard, were playing far too deep. It was a 4-3-3 on paper but from actual play, ended up with all 5 attackers and Costa, dropping in to provide a shield for the recently shaky Chelsea defense.
Even the Spaniard Diego Costa, was seen in defense far too many times and was involved in 2 separate incidents, which on another day, could have led to a penalty.
It is however noteworthy to include the fact that this tactic worked like a charm. Chelsea seems like the best team in all of football, when they have to soak up possession because they have two advantages; defensive players who are best in a low block and superb counter attacking players.
2. CITY’S GAME PLAN WAS A DEFECTIVE ONE
Manchester City for some inexplicable reason seemed to be playing too many crosses into the middle of Chelsea’s 18 yard box. The huge problem with this tactic is that crossing into an area with players Cahill, Terry and Ivanovic is counterproductive at best.
Another problem was the fact that even though City was playing 2 strikers, neither of them was particularly adept in the air. It was at the end, a pitiful waste of the overwhelming Possession City had in the first half.
3. THE REFEREE WAS A HUGE FACTOR IN THIS GAME
A supposedly experienced referee in Mike Dean made a fatal mistake when he seemed to allow rough and crunchy tackles in the first 10 minutes, as he seemed to want the game to flow.
The players, as is usually the case in such high profile matches took the Referee’s loose officiating as a sign to physically gain every advantage they could.
The Englishman seemed to realize his error midway through the first half and started brandishing yellow cards as frequently as he could, in other to curb the physicality that he had earlier allowed.
By the end of the first half, even the most unknowledgeable of supporters could tell that the introduction of a red card was only a matter of time.
4. MOURINHO SHOULD HAVE CAPITALISED
With Zabaleta being given a second yellow card and City going down ten men, with almost 20 minutes left to play, Mourinho should have made attacking changes to his tactics to take advantage of the extra man.
Renounced football analyst Andy Townsend, suggested that Jose could have brought in Remy and played with two up top… the suggestion was absolutely spot on.
5. CHELSEA’s DEFENSE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
There are 2 things that seemed quite clear about Manchester City’s equalizer.
Firstly, if any defense in world football should have been aware of Lampard’s unrivalled skill in finding pockets of dangerous space, it should have been the team he played in for 13years.
Secondly, it seems clear that Mourinho tasks his attacking players with defensive duties. However, the problem seems to be that they just can’t defend properly. Schurrle’s mistake of allowing Milner ghost past him for the assist to Lampard was a clear example.
Having said this; Ivanovic’s inability to track the former Chelsea star was unforgivable.
In the end, a draw seemed a fair result.
