Such a football was expected from him for a long time. After endless sit-downs on the bench to the constant noise of the press, Andrey Shevchenko played his best match in the last six months. Sheva, as if listening to the advice of Harry Lineker, who urged the striker to become more selfish, was active and unusually effective.
Shevchenko in a blue T-shirt is a lot of movement, even more desire and an almost complete absence of goals. Outsiders were tired of explaining the metamorphosis that occurred with the striker. Someone talked about Sheva’s poor form, someone inflated his alleged conflict with Jose Mourinho. Opinions were expressed that Andrei was not trusted by partners who preferred to play exclusively on Drogba. In practice, everything turned out to be much simpler.
This week, the famous English striker Gary Lineker, in his column in the Sunday Telegraph, advised Andrei to stop running after the ball and become the former killer striker. It is not known whether Shevchenko read the advice of a senior comrade, but in the return cup match with Wycombe he clearly followed it.
The first game of Chelsea with Wycombe was held at Adams Park Stadium and ended in a draw - 1: 1. Chelsea felt the opponent and made sure that his legs couldn’t jump into the floor. On Tuesday evening, the champions were to beat the team from the second English league and reach the League Cup final. Only specialized gardening magazines do not write about the problems of Chelsea in England now. In an atmosphere of endless scandals, reaching the final of the cup “blue” was necessary. The public would simply not forgive the loss of some Wycombe. In addition, the League Cup was the first Mourinho trophy with Chelsea. In general, whoever just needs the League Cup, but for Chelsea this competition is of particular importance.
The day before the match, Mourinho promised to release Shevchenko in the first team. After the game with Liverpool, all the newspapers wrote that only the head coach didn’t give Andrei a hand, so Jose’s trust was especially in place.
Chelsea entered the field with the usual lineup changes for this season. The team can not afford to play with a permanent team for a long time. If for Benitez in “Liverpool” it is a wonderful rotation, for Mourinho it is an endless creative search under the motto “sew the next patch”.
In the center of defense of the “blue”, Mikael Essien made up a couple of Ricardo Carvalho, and the young talent of Lassan Diarr occupied the right flank of the defense. In general, Diarra is a defensive midfielder who is predicted for the future of Claude Makelele. However, now at Chelsea is not the time for moods. Everyone plays where necessary.
The very first minute of the game was connected with Shevchenko. After the transfer of Ashley Cole from the flank, Andrei hits his head and forces goalkeeper Batishta to enter the game. Shevchenko is omnipresent. He attracts the ball to himself every time he is in the middle of the Wycombe field. In the 15th minute, Andrei beats the rally, and only in time turned up the body of the defender Antvi saves the situation.
Sheva continues to look for a chance. All according to Lineker. He does not run away to the center of the field, as he did in almost every Chelsea match, but maneuvers on the offside line. At the 21st minute, the principle of “lucky for the lucky one” is triggered: instead of a pass, Doherty gives the ball to a partner directly at Andrei’s feet. Sheva turns on the corporate speed and, in the blink of an eye, reaching Batishta’s goal, sends the ball into the goal from the bottom.
Chelsea play calmly and prudently. Drogba gives Andrey the right to be in the center of the attacking events and begins to play along with his partner. At the end of the half, “Wycombe” is mistaken, making an artificial offside, and a pass from Didier takes Andrei to the gate. A soft kick of a Ukrainian sends the ball over the scruff of the keeper.
“Blue” go to the second half already winners. Wycombe can save the match only by scoring two. Nothing more dangerous than the awnings Wykobm can come up with. In the absence of Terry, the recovering Czech is blown away for the entire defense. Broad-shouldered Peter is invariably the first to be on all balls and even helps out a couple of times the Chelsea experimental defense center after mistakes.
And Shevchenko continues his presentation to the London public. It seems that she does not care that the premiere of the striker was delayed for several months. It was worth the wait. At the very beginning of the half, Sheva runs away from the opponents on the left flank, reaches almost the penalty line, where he removes the defender in one motion and gives a pass to the oncoming Lampard. Frank's failure from five meters is a crime against aesthetics.
However, Sheva makes no attempt to create a moment for the current captain of Chelsea. In the middle of the half, Andrei in the fall gives an accurate pass to Lampard, who has to run half the field, circle the goalkeeper first, and then the defender and send the ball into the goal. Chelsea lead 3-0. The pace of the match begins to fall, but not much. With its current defense, Chelsea are not the team that for two consecutive seasons was considered an almost absolute winner in any case in their favor.
Chelsea attacks, slowing down. And Shevchenko continues to be the main figure of the team. He manages to pick up the ball after a worthless hit by Obi Mikel from three meters and earn a corner. Seven minutes before the end, Andrei leaves the field. In the 90th minute Lampard takes a double after the transfer of Drogba and sets the final score - 4: 0.
Programmed, it seemed, even before the match, the victory of Chelsea came out unexpectedly emotional and important for the team. It is difficult to predict what will be more important in the future: Shevchenko’s benefit or reaching the League Cup final. Of course, such a performance does not mean that Sheva is back. But he gives hope.
And do not say that Wycombe is not a serious opponent. If you have doubts about his militancy, review his first semifinal match with Chelsea.
Ilya Zakharov