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Chelsea crush Maribor with Didier Drogba and John Terry on scoresheet Chelsea crush Maribor with Didier Drogba and John Terry on scoresheet
(about 1 hour later)
Chelsea feel like a team of the present, yet here was a match infused with a hint of nostalgia. The crowd were able to lap up goals from Didier Drogba and John Terry. The last time this pair were on the scoresheet together occurred on a seminal Champions League night when Napoli were overturned in the spring run towards the trophy in 2012. Such is the swagger and confidence coursing through Chelsea’s squad, José Mourinho swatted aside any concerns over an injury picked up by Loïc Rémy during this Stamford Bridge breeze. It leaves Chelsea potentially short of firepower when they travel to Old Trafford on Sunday, with doubts over Diego Costa and Didier Drogba’s capacity to play for 90 minutes at full pelt.
Mourinho is reunited with some of those he used to call untouchable. They are still fantastically reliable. Drogba came on after Loíc Rémy pulled up early on and thoroughly enjoyed an evening of throwback ease. Chelsea in cruise control look so commanding and cohesive, they certainly had the quality to emulate some of the madder scorelines in Europe on the night. They made do with just the six. On Rémy’s situation, Mourinho appeared audaciously unconcerned. “It’s a muscular injury. I don’t know the dimension and I am not worried. When a player is injured, I play another one.”
Maribor, having played six qualification games to get to this point, were undefeated in eight matches in the Champions League. They arrived a creditable second in Group G but confronted a whole new level of power mixed with classy and composed technique to what they had experienced thus far. The Premier League pace-setters took little time to find their uber-confident stride. It took half an hour to build a comfortable three-goal lead. He was fairly steadfast on the options. Did he expect Rémy to be fit? “No.” Costa? “No.” As for Drogba, player and manager had a conversation on the eve of the Champions League game against Maribor and 30 minutes was what was on the cards. In the event, once Rémy left the pitch with a grimace as he felt his groin immediately after opening the floodgates by crowning John Terry’s Fàbregas-esque pass with a stylish finish, Drogba came on and played 75.
The visitors did forge the first chance of the game, as Damjan Bohar scooped his effort on to the roof of Petr Cech’s net. Slovenian hope was fleeting, however. “He managed the intensity, range of movement and in the end was very, very important for the team,” noted Mourinho. “The best thing for a player to improve his condition is to play.” He also scored, which sent waves of warmth and nostalgia around the venue he commanded for so many years. “He was not for a long time on the pitch in previous matches,” added Mourinho. “The last goal was the most important goal in the history of the club so to be back and score again at Stamford Bridge was nice for him.”
A mere 10 minutes in Mourinho sent Drogba out to warm up. The reaction was typically effusive, but the earliness of the sighting suggested a possible problem up front. That turned out to be the case as Rémy was substituted in the 16th minute. But he left the pitch with a parting gift for Chelsea. His final action was to smoothly give his team the lead. Drogba asked to take the penalty when Maribor were punished for a low handball by Ales Mertelj. Eden Hazard, the club’s designated penalty-taker, ceded responsibility given the credentials and emotional punch carried by the man who had just come on.
Terry produced a Fàbregas-esque pass for the Frenchman, who worked himself the room to drive the ball sweetly into the far corner. He immediately winced and felt his groin, which signalled the premature end to his evening. The Diego Costa situation is clearly more delicate with an injury to Rémy, but in these parts the sight of Drogba coming on creates an inevitable buzz. Chelsea’s third-choice striker duly took the ball, looked up at the luminous orange “Drogba Legend” sign, calmly set the ball and finished with the alacrity they had seen so consistently in these parts.
Fàbregas drifted around from his midfield base, safe in the knowledge that Nemanja Matic offered all the protection he could wish for. Prompting and cajoling, the Spaniard unpicked Maribor relentlessly. One cross for Eden Hazard came close to providing a second. Another touch fed Willian, who danced into the box. Ales Mertelj’s hand was low – oddly close to the ground – and when the ball made contact the referee awarded a disappointing penalty from the Slovenians’ point of view. Mourinho was in mischievous mood when asked how he felt about the players taking it into their own hands regarding who took the spot-kick. “You want a fair answer? I don’t like it. They have the freedom to do it. But he has to score,” he said. That old times feeling was extended when Terry galavanted 100 yards upfield to poach the third. Credit where it’s due to a 33-year-old centre-half to burst the length of the pitch – the move originated from a Maribor corner, and within seconds Hazard was buzzing forwards, Cesc Fàbregas appeared on the right to deliver with customary accuracy, and Terry slid the ball in.
Hazard, the club’s designated penalty-taker, ceded responsibility given the credentials and emotional punch carried by the man who had just come on. Chelsea’s third-choice striker duly took the ball, looked up at the luminous orange ‘Drogba Legend’ billboard, calmly set the ball and finished with the alacrity they had seen so consistently in these parts. Unfortunately for Maribor he was offside, but the Dutch referee awarded the goal anyway. Three goals up in half an hour exemplified how this was easy-peasy against the limited Slovenians.
That old-times feeling was extended when Terry galavanted upfield to poach the third. Credit where it’s due to a 33-year-old centre-half to burst the length of the pitch – the move originated from a Maribor corner, and within seconds Hazard was buzzing forwards, Fàbregas appeared on the right to deliver with customary accuracy, and Terry slid the ball in. Unfortunately for Maribor he was offside, but the Dutch referee awarded the goal anyway. Mourinho was delighted with the way his team did not relax. Once Maribor spurned the chance for a consolation via a penalty that Agim Ibraimi struck against a post, Hazard began to run the show. He was delightful to watch.
Chelsea continued creating chances. Kurt Zouma went close. A superb reverse ball from Drogba fed Hazard but the Belgian put his head in his hands when his touch let him down in a one-on-one. Hazard had a hand in the fourth, turned in by Mitja Viler. The Belgian had a hand in the fourth, turned in by Mitja Viler, and scored the final two goals. When Branislav Ivanovic ended up on the floor and it was time for another penalty, Hazard took it this time and was unerring. The last demonstrated the purest skill, as he twisted into position to drill in after Nathan Aké’s beautiful assist.
Maribor had a chance for a consolation when Matic bundled over Agim Ibraimi, whose penalty struck a post. Back in the usual direction, Oscar’s effort whooshed fractionally wide and Willian’s audacious effort thumped against the frame of the goal. The game was under such control Mourinho was able to bring on a couple of teenage prospects to give them a flavour of a Champions League debut. Nathan Aké, 19, slotted into midfield, while the 17-year-old Dominic Solanke took up a position on the right side of attack. Mourinho had the added satisfaction that he was able to bring on a couple of teenaged prospects to give them a flavour of a Champions League debut.
There was more for Chelsea when Branislav Ivanovic ended up on the floor and it was time for another penalty. This time Hazard took and was unerring. The Belgian scored again with virtuoso style, twisting into position to finish after Aké’s beautiful assist. Aké, aged 19, slotted into midfield, while 17-year-old Dominic Solanke took up position on the right side of attack. Kurt Zouma is already considered ready to play in defence at any time.
Having suggested before the match that he will not rest players, Mourinho did make three changes to his defence for this stroll. But really, such was Chelsea’s overbearing dominance they could have played Peter Bonetti and Chopper Harris, and more or less been OK. Chelsea in cruise-control look so commanding and cohesive; they have a strength whatever the personnel. Mourinho is purring about the team’s progress. “We are playing well, confident, solid, have found a good balance. We have now the players adapted to play the game we were preparing last year that we couldn’t manage to do in a perfect way. Good results and confidence bring people to their best. We are in a good moment.”
Away to Manchester United on Sunday, they remain in fine fettle. Looking ahead, of course there is the possibility that one of Costa or Remy will be better by the weekend. There is also the option of André Schürrle, him having been part of the Chelsea plan in various successful away missions last season.
“We don’t cry on injuries, that is our philosophy,” Mourinho said. “We think an injury means an opportunity for someone else. We cannot hide that in this moment we have some problems with players unavailable to play. We will prepare the Manchester United game and try to be at our best possible level.”
Whoever plays, and whoever they play against, that seems to be the template for Chelsea this season.