IF BOLTON can score three in eight minutes at Stamford Bridge, what can Liverpool do in 90 minutes?
That is the nightmare question that will haunt Guus Hiddink and his Chelsea side after this astonishing second-half collapse.
The Blues and Reds square up here at the Bridge on Tuesday night - with Chelsea feeling the job is as good as done after their thrilling 3-1 win at Anfield.
But Hiddink and Co thought exactly the same as they led 4-0 against Gary Megson's Bolton battlers. The over-confident Dutchman hauled off scorers Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard to rest them for Tuesday's big Champions League quarter-final return.
But unfortunately, it was not just Drogba and Lampard who put their feet up and took a break - the whole Chelsea side switched off in alarming fashion.
They arrogantly believed that their four-goal cushion had seen off the men from The Reebok. Wrong. Very wrong, dangerously wrong. And make no mistake, if they repeat the folly against Liverpool they will be made to pay for their complacency.
For if Chelsea are this sloppy and keeper Petr Cech so flappy, the Liverpudlians could yet have the last laugh. Kop boss Rafa Benitez certainly does not need a team talk to inspire his men. All he should do is play an eight-minute DVD showcasing the Bolton goals, turn to Fernando Torres and Co to and ask: "If Andy O'Brien, Chris Basham and Matthew Taylor can do this to Chelsea, what can you boys achieve?"
Then, he can unleash them against Cech and Chelsea. The Czech was once hailed as the world's best goalkeeper, not anymore.
These days he is struggling to remain the best at Chelsea - and this erratic display will not help his cause or the confidence of his team-mates.
Cech was to blame for the onset of this remarkable self-destruction, blundering badly as Bolton subs O'Brien and Basham struck in the 70th and 74th minutes. Then skipper John Terry was caught napping as the lively Taylor nipped in behind him to make it 4-3.That set the nerves a-jangling around the Bridge with the unthinkable, the impossible suddenly appearing probable.
With Chelsea desperately trying to survive, Cech was beaten again in injury time - but Bolton were denied an astonishing last-gasp equaliser when Chelsea's Anfield hero Branislav Ivanovic cleared off the line to protect the Blues now slender advantage.
There was a huge cheer followed by a collective sigh of relief as the final whistle blew to ensure Chelsea did emerge winners.
The three points keep alive their slim Premier League title hopes - but the woeful performance in the final half hour will fill all Chelsea fans with trepidation ahead of the rematch with arch-rivals Liverpool.
Michael Ballack's first Premier League goal of the season put the Londoners in front in the 40th minute after a clever one-two with the ever-willing Salamon Kalou.
Then minutes after the break, Drogba prodded home the Blues' second after Lampard had clipped over a clever, low free-kick.
Lampard then converted a 60th minute penalty to make it 3-0, notching his 17th goal of the season after Gretar Rafn Steinsson had handled the England midfielder's cross.
It was party time by now - and the celebratory mood was heightened just three minutes later when Drogba notched his second, pouncing on an Ivanovic header to make it 4-0.
No one would have been surprised if there were still three more goals to come - but everyone expected them to have been for the totally dominant home side. The turnaround in fortunes was amazing.
Now the Blues have just three days to shake off the disastrous negative psychological effects of conceding three goals in such awful circumstances.
Hiddink will hope the embarrassment factor will ensure a positive reaction from his side to extinguish any idea of similar complacency ahead of Liverpool's visit.
But Benitez will be praying the hat-trick of howlers will undermine Cech and Chelsea's confidence.
The tie certainly has a different complexion after Liverpool's return yesterday to their free scoring - while Chelsea in stark contrast were shipping three goals at home for the first time this season.
And a team that can come back from 3-0 down at half-time in a Champions League final will surely believe they can overturn a 3-1 deficit in 90 minutes in a quarter-final. So Hiddink and Chelsea better wake up - and watch out.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment