This may be the night that constituted the true start of Andr� Villas-Boas's reign as manager. By the close, there was surely no Chelsea fan could who could even recall the unease they had felt before kick-off. The jubilation is all the more intense since the side have vaulted over Bayer Leverkusen to enter the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners.
That status, valuable as it is, will not be recalled for many seasons to come, unlike the forward who did so much to deliver it. Age, on this showing, is simply honing Didier Drogba. If he is conserving energy it makes him all the more lethal in the penalty area and here the Ivorian claimed two of the three goals against Valencia.
There were other aspects of the occasion that speak of the manager's impact. Villas-Boas put Frank Lampard on the bench and left him there. Perhaps one outfield player in Drogba's age group was all that could be afforded. Lampard himself had seemed disgruntled when taken off against Newcastle United at the weekend but the manager saw cause to reassure only a single 33-year-old, Drogba.
This is how people in Villas-Boas's line of work establish themselves. Necessary cruelty to loyal servants is unavoidable in the long-run when the needs of the club as a whole take precedence. There was balance to the manager's conception of the game since Chelsea attacked sufficiently but also had the numbers to check a good Valencia line-up.
That conservatism might induce the odd bout of nostalgia. Jos� Mourinho, after all, was the epitome of the manager prepared to do whatever is required. Villas-Boas does not bear all that great a resemblance to him, but there were overtones of his predecessor's gift for setting out a strategy and schooling his squad to implement it.
Defending and, in particular, fine goalkeeping by Petr Cech were crucial, but the whole team had tenacity whenever technique wobbled. The match may have looked as if it could be overcome by anxiety, but each side behaved initially as if they would relieve the tension by launching themselves into attacks.
Chelsea were ahead after three minutes but even that goal felt delayed since Diego Alves had made a save from Raul Meireles shortly before. Drogba struck as he converted a cut-back from Juan Mata with a left-footed finish after eluding the right-back Antonio Barragan.
There had been vivacious attacks by both sides, but Chelsea were the more precise. With 22 minutes gone, Drogba assumed the role of orchestrator as he released Ramires on the left to go clear of the centre-half Victor Ruiz and extend the advantage with a low shot.
The score spoke more of ruthlessness than overwhelming superiority. There was no lack of verve in Unai Emery's line-up. Cech, for instance, needed to stretch to divert a long-range attempt by David Albelda in the 10th minute that could easily have tied the score at 1-1. Emery has an appealing side and it seemed in their nature to mount attacks, even if Chelsea's early impact had left them with scant choice in the matter.
There had even been a prospect of Daniel Sturridge adding a third goal, but the attempt was turned away by the goalkeeper Alves in the 28th minute. Chelsea had impact in the first half that is not demanded regularly of the Premier League's representatives. The group phase of the tournament has often been akin to a waiting room for the English teams.
They fidget and get a little bored but know virtually for certain that their journey will begin in earnest soon enough as they stride into the last 16. This season has been different for everyone other than Arsenal. Given Chelsea's expectations, there was almost an indignity in hearing people discuss the arithmetical calculations that could have been called for if the sides went on being so difficult to disentangle from one another.
It would have been foolish of Chelsea to assume that they would defeat team from La Liga when Villas-Boas's side had lost three times at home in all competitions since late October. Valencia must have sensed an opportunity but Chelsea altered the mood with that impact before the interval.
The contest did not retain its full intensity since the hosts then began to be more studied. Chelsea may have been told to take care, but it was also true that Valencia had shed inhibitions by then. There was nothing left to fear when they were already in such a plight.
The vibrancy of the contest dimmed, with Chelsea priding themselves on discipline and concentration. Valencia therefore had more of the action and there was animation among the visiting supporters. They would have been conscious, too, of the difference one goal could have made.
The Stamford Bridge side does not resemble the impregnable line-up of days gone by and it was no mystery that Villas-Boas should resort to conservatism when replacing Ramires with the specialist holding midfielder Mikel John Obi
Chelsea were in a strong position, but they do not have the aura of invincibility that once cloaked them. Drogba would have been adored all the sooner if he had lifted the tension as he thundered away from Adil Rami in the 73rd minute but the ensuing drive was miscued. Even so, the striker, set up by Mata, was not to be denied three minutes later as he slipped home a neat shot that epitomised Chelsea's control of events.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/dec/06/chelsea-valencia-champions-league-report
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