WE WILL NOT DO Chelsea stay calm despite their week of the wobbles
SUCCESS is often determined by how a team react to defeat and, at Old Trafford on Sunday, the evidence certainly favoured Chelsea. When Arsenal’s unbeaten run ended in controversy against Manchester United last season, Arsene Wenger and his players did not respond terribly well.
Wenger cried ‘ cheat’, waved his fist in the face of Sir Alex Ferguson and then looked on in amazement as much as admiration, no doubt, when his great nemesis was splattered with soup and pizza by a member of the Arsenal team.
Jose Mourinho handled himself rather better on Sunday, waving only at the Manchester United fans. Last to leave the field after shaking the hand of every player, Chelsea’s manager was simply applauding the home fans for supporting their heroes so vociferously. A case of credit where credit’s due.
Wenger declined the invitation of a drink in Ferguson’s office in October last year. On Sunday, however, Mourinho was treated to a glass of Ferguson’s favourite Bordeaux. A 1993 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, no less.
Better than the plonk Mourinho apologised for offering the Scot at Stamford Bridge last season. The often prickly Portuguese coach was not entirely magnanimous in defeat. He considered Darren Fletcher’s goal a little fortunate while suggesting his side had played the superior football. But there was no lasting sense of bitterness. No reason for him to storm away from Old Trafford in a strop.
So bitter and twisted were Arsenal after suffering their first Premiership defeat in 50 games, they never fully recovered. Eight wins from their opening nine Premiership matches had come before that 2- 0 defeat at Old Trafford. Afterwards, though, they were awful. They drew at home with Southampton, t h e n a w a y a t Crystal Palace, just managed to beat Tottenham in a nine-goal thriller, dropped two more points at home to West Bromwich Albion and then lost again at Liverpool.
While the Arsenal ego was exposed as remarkably fragile, Chelsea took advantage with ruthless conviction. They won five of their next six games and surged past their London rivals and into a lead they would never relinquish.
Not even two defeats in a week seemed to worry Chelsea, given that their first such setback in 41 Premiership contests had followed that shambolic display against Real Betis five days earlier.
Eidur Gudjohnsen remembers the last time Chelsea lost two games in quick succession — against Newcastle in the FA Cup and Barcelona in the Champions League in February. The Iceland striker said: ‘Our response was to go on a run that took us away from everybody and won the League. Don’t be surprised if that happens again.’
Confidence continues to flow through Chelsea veins. Confidence and a collective desire to add more silverware to the trophies they collected last season.
Gudjohnsen said: ‘Losing is part of football as well. It’s not something we’ve been used to over the last 40 games in the League. It’s a shame, what happened at Old Trafford. But we can take a lot of positives out of the game.
‘ In the second half we played really well, created a lot of chances and had a lot of space. We just couldn’t put the ball in the net.
‘United defended well. There was always a toe in or a little touch before the ball reached the final station. Their goalkeeper made a couple of good saves, too. With a bit of luck we could have easily scored at least one goal. But that’s football sometimes. The result doesn’t reflect the way we played.’
Talk of a crisis was not something, said Gudjohnsen, that would be entertained inside the dressing room of the English champions.
He said: ‘ There’s no panic here. No crisis. We’re disappointed to lose. Don’t get me wrong. It’s also not a feeling we want to get used to. But I’m sure we will put it straight.
‘ We have the characters in this side to do that. You have all seen that. There’s nothing to worry about at this stage. I don’t think anyone can really question us. There’s no questioning our desire, togetherness or commitment. It’s just football.
‘ Probably for the neutrals it’s what everybody was wishing for. But for us it’s about beating Newcastle in a fortnight’s time. That’s what will drive us on. Hopefully we will now go another 40 games undefeated.’
The Premiership should take heed of the warning. After the Newcastle game come Portsmouth, and Middlesbrough. Then Wigan in a match that could yet represent a clash between the top two teams in the table. For Wigan, it would be an incredible achievement, for Chelsea a pleasant surprise.
Then, however, comes a potentially more serious test. December 18 sees a visit to Highbury for what promises to be a fascinating clash against Arsenal — and a fascinating encounter between Mourinho and Wenger. Two bitter rivals in close proximity. How they handle the pressure that day could also prove hugely significant.
m.lawton@dailymail.co.uk