I'm not sure De Bruyne was influencing the game in the same way he usually does - that's not to say that he wasn't going to come up with the goods at some point. I wanted City to win but as the game went on I really enjoyed the way Chelsea controlled the game; it was a really good final.As a neutral I really enjoyed the game last night. I thought that the two Chelsea wingbacks were excellent, and N'Golo Kante was just magnificent in midfield. As for tactical fouls, that block by Rudiger on Kevin De Bruyne arguably turned out to be a matchwinner.
That's true. KDB was not having the influence on the game that I thought he would have, but in those frantic last 20 minutes or so he could have been the difference. We will never know of course. I'd actually had a little bet on KDB last night, 2 shots on target plus 1 assist @ 12/1.I'm not sure De Bruyne was influencing the game in the same way he usually does - that's not to say that he wasn't going to come up with the goods at some point. I wanted City to win but as the game went on I really enjoyed the way Chelsea controlled the game; it was a really good final.
Didier Drogba comes to mind as a great former Chelsea forward player; also John Hollins MBE and Hudson in MF.Congrats to Chelsea. Well deserved win. To be honest, before the game, I couldn't call it. On paper Man City is the better side, Chelsea's last few games have been iffy but cup matches tends to bring out the occasional surprise. I suppose some would class last night's result as a surprise.
I know Chelsea get some bad press on forums and in newspapers, not really sure why unless it's envy. But throughout the last 50-odd years they have always produced top class players... and nearly all were genuinely nice: Peter Osgood, who I've met years ago; Ray Wilkins etc etc and countless others. Not forgetting that Sir Richard Attenborough is a former director.
That's seemed to be there now. Just listening to Tony Cascarino, Chelsea player in the 90s, mentioned something few people know about Chelsea FC. On Talksport, he divulged he took a phone call from the club to ask if he and his family were okay during the pandemic. According to Cascarino, they have phoned all ex-players to make sure they are fine. Not many clubs do that. This must come from one person: Abramovich.
So I think credit where credit's due. Not only all the trophies they've won over the decades but how they regard former players and their families.
Broken nose and eye socket , ouch !that block by Rudiger on Kevin De Bruyne
Indeed.Didier Drogba comes to mind as a great former Chelsea forward player; also John Hollins MBE and Hudson in MF.
Jack NSM
Similar tales came out of the old Manchester United training ground at The Cliff in Salford back in the 90's with regards Eric Cantona. Fans loved him for far more reasons than merely his exploits on the pitch. A wonderful man.Indeed.
There was one story my brother told me years ago. His friend's eldest son was a Chelsea trainee, back in the mid-90s, and the senior players always trained at the same time every week. The little'uns used the same training pitch as the seniors. All of the home-based used to go home as soon as the training was over. Two players, however, used to stay behind for an hour and coach the children: They were Zola and Di Matteo. Both wonderful players and both gave up their own time to help the kids.
Not sure you would get that today, regardless of the club.