While the Blues experienced a topsy-turvy transition season, which included many heart-breaking and head-shaking moments, there was also some brilliant and breath-taking passages of play that caught the eyes of Chelsea fans worldwide.
During the extended break I took some time to reflect on some of those more special moments throughout our turbulent 2019-20 season prior to lock-down – see here.
Following the restart, I thought I would do a ‘part 2’ and close the loop on this chapter in what was truly a roller-coaster campaign!
So without further ado, let’s take a stroll down project restart road and reminisce on those top 5 stand-out moments from a Blues perspective.
No.5 – Chelsea 3-1 Manchester United in FA Cup Semi-Final
Given the red-hot form from Ole’s Red Devils since the return from the extended break, and considering the recent head-to-head form between the two sides (United doing the double and also in the League Cup), this was shaping up to be an uphill task for Frank and his troops, especially considering their topsy-turvy performances prior to this fixture.
But as it turned out, from the opening exchanges, the Blues came out the more committed, enthusiastic, organised, and ultimately were rewarded with a comfortable and deserved 3-1 victory to advance to the FA Cup final (which we won’t go into unless we only speak about the first 5 mins where Pulisic scored a terrific goal).
Pivoting back to this clash, this was arguably Chelsea’s most complete team performance given their rare solidity at the back and quality going forward. This will be the type of performance Frank will be looking to see his players replicate next season.
No.4 – Mount Free-Kick and Assist vs Wolves
The battle for the remaining two Champions League places went down to the final day of the Premier League season. Three teams, Manchester United, Chelsea and Leicester were in a straight shootout for 3rd and 4th place, with the Red Devils and the Foxes locking horns, while the Lions squared-off against the Wolves.
In a cagey first period, although Chelsea were probing away cautiously looking for openings, there was a strong sense of nervousness given a draw would have been sufficient to achieve the season’s objective of playing in next season’s Champions League.
However as the game approached the interval, up stepped one of Chelsea’s shining lights and younger prospects Mason Mount. From 25 yards, he expertly dispatched his free kick which evidently appeared to be something he had been practising since he was a young teenager! (Refer throwback video on YouTube). Moments after, Mason delivered a glorious through ball for Giroud to add a quick-fire second just before half-time which ultimately sealed a comfortable 2-0 victory.
It seemed fitting that Mason Mount would score and assist the decisive goals given he was the man who opened Chelsea’s account at Stamford Bridge during the season against fellow top 4 rivals Leicester!
No.3 – Chelsea 2-1 Man City (Pulisic’s breakaway goal)
It was the battle between the two Premier League heavyweights. Both shades of blue had been dominating the league for the better part of a decade and a half. Manchester City were the benchmark for the past few seasons under Pep and were the reigning Premier League champions at the time of the fixture. On the other hand, Chelsea were aspiring to reassert themselves at the top of the League summit under the guidance and direction of Lampard, a 3x champion.
Both sides had been playing a progressive, attractive and possession-based style of play up until this game so it was always going to be an intriguing contest from a purists’ perspective. Adding to this was the importance of the game itself. The Blues were looking to stay in touch with the top 3, whereas the Citizens were seeking to avoid surrendering the league to Liverpool.
Chelsea were aware they would be need to adopt a more pragmatic approach for this game, and would need to channel the spirit, concentration and resolve of old to ensure the attacking Sky Blues juggernaut were kept at bay, while taking their chances on the counter given City have been known to be exposed on the break. And that’s exactly what occurred.
In the 36th Minute, the high-flying Christian Pulisic picked up the ball near halfway following a mix-up between Gundogan and Mendy, then lured Mendy in, applied the afterburners, before curling it around Ederson into the bottom corner from the edge of the area. The blistering counter-attacking nature of the goal was reminiscent of the old Chelsea! A special goal from a rising star! The game finished 2-1 to the Blues in what was a balanced and hard-earned victory involving lots of discipline, resilience and composure, something which pleased both Frank and fans alike!
No.2 – Zouma last-gasp tackle on Benteke
Following a comprehensive 3-0 victory against Watford a few days earlier, the Blues entered the match full of confidence as they took on a lowly and out-of-form Crystal Palace. This confidence permeated through to the opening half an hour of the match as Chelsea grabbed a deserved 2-0 lead before a rocket from Zaha halved the deficit. However, after the break the Blues re-established their two-goal cushion following lovely link-up play between RLC and Tammy (more on this below).
With this, the game should have been out of reach for the vulnerable Eagles, instead, it was in typical Chelsea fashion that their defence’s open door policy saw Palace immediately claw one back and start to cause real panic and angst for Frank and his men until the final whistle.
In fact, Chelsea’s vitally-important victory required big Kurt Zouma to perform the perfect sliding block to prevent Christian Benteke from scoring an equaliser right at the death. This occurred moments after Kepa acrobatically tipped a header across goal onto the post. Heart in mouth stuff for Blues fans. A season defining few minutes!
No.1 – Pulisic cameo v Liverpool
On a night whereby newly-crowned champions Liverpool were due to lift the Premier League trophy after three decades, there was also the small matter of an on field clash between the current champions, and the team that many are predicting will be top of the crop in the next couple of seasons.
As it transpired, Liverpool were the more impressive in the opening half taking a deserved 3-1 lead heading into the break. With the score 4-1 shortly after half time, Lampard turned to Pulisic and Tammy to freshen things up. And that they did!
Almost immediately, Captain America somehow evaded FOUR Liverpool players in an amazing dribble before curling an inch-perfect pass beyond Virgil Van Dijk for Tammy to slot in a truly unforgettable goal. Truly amazing!
Not satisfied with that brilliant assist, he decided to take matters into his own hands, or feet actually. This time round he collected a beautiful cross from another inspired sub (Hudson-Odoi) before taking a couple of settling touches with back to goal before rifling an unstoppable rocket into the roof of the net!
While the Blues defensive frailties overshadowed this amazing cameo from Pulisic, Blues fans and the general footballing community were in awe that evening, and will always remember the marvellous moments from Chelsea’s superhero Captain America!
Other Memorable Moments
While the above were the 5 key moments since the restart of the Premier League, there were some of eye-catching moments from the Blues!
These included:
– Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s driving run towards the Palace box before providing a perfectly chipped pass for Tammy to slot home off the post. A goal that turned out to be extremely critical in the context of Chelsea’s season.
– Barkley’s goal v Leicester in the FA Cup quarter final was a nicely taken cushioned volley following nice interplay between Captain courageous Azpilicueta and Willian, with the latter delivering a sublime cross for Barkley to do the rest.
– Pulisic’s goal v Arsenal in the FA Cup final following his brilliant link-up play with Oliver Giroud (aka the French Johnny Bravo). Speaking of the talented Frenchman, it is worth noting that he was in inspired form since being recalled into the team. His influence on helping the team secure 4th place was crucial which included not just his goals, but his all-round contribution (ability to bring in the wingers into the attack, his aerial prowess, his intelligent runs etc.) was immense and so important.
Final Thoughts
In a season of ups and downs, stops and (re)starts, sensational and not-so-sensational moments, like society more broadly, this was truly a bizarre campaign.
While we had some glorious memories to reflect on in the 2019-20 season as noted above, there were also a few too many moments of disappointment which will need to be corrected next season (which is around the corner) should we harbour ambitions to close the gap between ourselves and the top 2.
Based on what we’ve seen during this campaign, there’s good reason for cautious optimism. Having said that, while there were some unusual circumstances to contend with (e.g. transfer ban, loss of Hazard), these will no longer apply which means higher expectations await.
Here’s hoping Frank is able to instil the hunger, belief and serial winning mentality that was part of the Club’s fabric during his playing days. If so, I’ll be able to produce an even better set of top 5 moments in future editions!
Written by: Ross-John (RJ) Bonaccorsi (RJ_Goodthings)
Edited by: Jai Mcintosh & Ross-John (RJ) Bonaccorsi (RJ_Goodthings)